Former India and Bengal wicket-keeper Deep Dasgupta feels that India’s inability to win any ICC tournaments since the 2013 Champions Trophy has been largely due to several external factors. While India lost the 2015 World Cup semi-final against Australia due to their performance, their exit from the 2016 T20 World Cup was because of the dew factor.
The toss played a crucial role as the eventual champions West Indies went onto chase down a stiff target of 193 runs. Two no-balls in crucial junctures of the game didn’t help either as exceptional knocks from Lendl Simmons and Johnson Charles sealed the deal for the Caribbeans.
In the 2017 Champions Trophy final against Pakistan, India was again severely jolted by a no-ball from Jasprit Bumrah. Fakhar Zaman who was dismissed of a no-ball went onto smash a match-winning century and the target proved to be way too much in the end. India will look to end their lull in ICC tournaments when they face New Zealand in the World Test Championship final slated to be played in Southampton between 18 and 22 June.
"Think about the choker remark the fact is that India has not won a knockout game in the ICC events since 2013. Again, there is no particular reason for that apart from that fact that maybe taking too much pressure and overthinking just because it's a big game in an ICC tournament," Dasgupta was quoted as saying during an interaction with Sports Today when a fan asked him whether India are the new chokers in world cricket.
"Also, think of the New Zealand game, I think India should have won that. 2017, the Champions Trophy game (final) against Pakistan, that no-ball, let's not get into that. We have spoken a lot about that no-ball. Then, in the West Indies Wankhede game (2016 T20 World Cup), the toss played a crucial role. 180 (192) was not a bad score, but the dew factor and all that played a role," he further added.