The Indian team will face their toughest challenge in the ODI World Cup 2023 as they lock horns with New Zealand, the table toppers. India haven’t won against the Kiwis since the 2003 World Cup in ICC events, and thus Rohit Sharma and Co. will be hoping to break the 20-year jinx in Dharamsala on Sunday.
Former Indian coach Ravi Shastri speaking ahead of the fixture on October 22, mentioned an old quote from MS Dhoni after India had lost to New Zealand in the 2011 ODI World Cup.
Since the 2003 World Cup, India lost to New Zealand in the 2007 T20 World Cup, the ODI World Cup in 2011, and the 2019 World Cup semifinal where Dhoni himself suffered an unlucky run-out.
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Shastri revealed that Dhoni had claimed in 2011, that the defeat to New Zealand in the home World Cup was important in their run-up to being champions.
“In 2011 India lost one game. And that was a league game to New Zealand, but they went on to win the World Cup,” Shastri told Star Sports in the build-up of the IND vs NZ clash in Dharamsala.
“I remember MS Dhoni when he was the captain said once, ‘You know, sometimes in the league format (in World Cup), it’s good to lose one game, you know, because you know, you don’t want to be suddenly caught in a semi-final or final where you want everything and then you get the shivers,'” the former India all-rounder recalled.
After the defeat to New Zealand, India would go on to beat Australia and Pakistan before facing Sri Lanka in 2011 and the rest is history.
Shastri while commentating during the game paid another ode to Dhoni when he was on-air. India earlier wasted a DRS review during New Zealand’s innings, and it prompted a million-dollar reaction from the ex-Indian coach.
“Best in the business was MS Dhoni,” said Shastri.
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New Zealand meanwhile got off to a shaky start against India in Dharamsala, but Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell stitched together a game-changing partnership of 157 runs.
Later Mohammed Shami dismissed Ravindra on 75, while Kuldeep Yadav got the Kiwis captain Tom Latham to bring India right back in the contest.
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