Batting legend Sachin Tendulkar has answered the question of whether Virat Kohli can single-handedly take India to World Cup 2019 glory in England and Wales. India open World Cup campaign against South Africa on June 5
New Delhi: Expectations are high on India captain Virat Kohli and his teammates to win the ICC World Cup 2019 in England and Wales. Fans are banking on Kohli to deliver with the bat, like he has been consistently doing at the international level and help India clinch their third global 50-over trophy.
While Kohli has dominated the batting charts and is currently the number one batsman in the ICC ODI Rankings, batting legend Sachin Tendulkar has cautioned fans not to expect the skipper alone to help win the World Cup for India. He said Kohli’s teammates need to step up in order to win the title in the United Kingdom.
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"I think you will always have a couple of individuals stepping up every game but without team support, you can't do much. Just because of one individual, you can't win a tournament. No way. Unless others chip in at every crucial stage. If that doesn't happen, there will be disappointment," Tendulkar told Press Trust of India (PTI) in an interview when asked if Kohli will carry the same burden like he did, specifically during the 1996, 1999 and 2003 editions.
Tendulkar played in a record six World Cups between 1992 and 2011 with the final one culminating in a title triumph at home under the leadership of MS Dhoni. Now, just like Tendulkar carried the expectations of the people, Kohli is doing the same.
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The 15-member Indian team left for England on Wednesday (May 22) to participate in the World Cup. There are still concerns over the number four batting spot but Tendulkar said there were batsmen to do the job.
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"I think we have batsmen, who can do the job. Number four is just a number and it can be adjusted. I particularly don't see No 4 as a problem. Our boys have played enough cricket to know their roles whether it is No 4, 6 or 8. Situational awareness is the key," Tendulkar opined.
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Before leaving for England, Kohli had said that the World Cup 2019 would be "most challenging". India open campaign against South Africa on June 5 after the 10-team tournament starts on May 30. The final is on July 14.
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