Current Indian team has failed in handling pressure in knockout stages: Gambhir

New Delhi: Former India opener Gautam Gambhir feels the current crop of Indian cricket team has failed in handling pressure in crucial knockout stages.

“What sets you apart from being a good player to being a very very good player in a team squad is what you do on those crucial games,” Gambhir said on Star Sports show Cricket Connected. 

“I think probably we have not been able to handle the pressure, probably other teams have been able to handle the pressure that way. If you look at all the semi-finals and finals, it just show when playing really well in the league stage and you don’t play well in the semi-finals or knockout, it’s probably your mental toughness as well.

“We can keep talking that we’ve got everything, we have the ability to be the world championships but till the time you don’t go on the cricket field and prove that, you will never be called the World champion. So it’s just your ability in those crunch situations.

“I’ve always  said this, in bilateral and league stages you have got probably a chance to make the mistake, come to the knockout stage you don’t have a chance to make  a mistake, you make a mistake and you’re going back home.

“So that’s where beliefs come into play and that where India lacks in all those crucial games.”

Since the 2011 World Cup, India have not won a single ICC tournament despite making it to the final four on each occasion.

Last time India reached finals was in 2017 Champions Trophy, which they lost to arch-rivals Pakistan. (UNI)