Team India in 2023 Review: Big match woes ruin a statistically impressive year

So, it’s another year without an ICC trophy for the Indian cricket team. Despite some fantastic performances right through 2023 across formats, the failure to win crunch matches yet again is the biggest takeaway from the year about Team India.

The Men in Blue had two opportunities to break the decade-long drought. However, they went down to Australia by 209 runs in the World Test Championship (WTC) final at The Oval and to the same side by six wickets in the ODI World Cup summit clash in Ahmedabad.

When India lost the WTC final, some critics questioned the choice of venue for the championship match. But there was no reason to complain about the ODI World Cup final loss. The tournament was hosted by India and the final was played in front of a full house at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad with the partisan crowd vociferously backing the Men Blue.

Team India went into the final as favorites but felt the pressure and, not for the first time, succumbed to the big occasion.

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Team India’s worrying pattern in knockout matches

Australia won the World Test Championship final (Pic: Getty Images)

The way Rohit Sharma-led India steamrolled opponents en route to reaching the 2023 World Cup final, it seemed like their ICC title drought was destined to end. In the game that mattered the most, though, the hosts were only a shadow of the side that dominated the tournament.

The number of times India have faltered on the big stage, it’s pretty much clear now that they find it difficult to deal with the pressure of expectations in crunch clashes. They are mentally not the same side that takes the field in the preceding, less high-pressure games.

The Men in Blue, who had battered with such authority in most of the previous 2023 World Cup matches, went into their shell in the final, which cost them big time. Barring captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to an extent, none of the Indian batters looked to play positively. As a result, the hosts ended up posting a below score on the board, which Australia chased down with ease in the end despite losing a few early wickets.

As mentioned earlier, this is not the first time it has happened. But the final result was utterly shocking since Team India were undoubtedly the best side in the World Cup until the final in Ahmedabad.

The Men in Blue need to analyze how they approach big games - psychologically more than technically and physically. This is because it’s definitely in the mind that they are losing the battles in such key games.

India were the dominant side in the previous WTC cycle as well but came second best to Australia in a rather disappointing fashion in the final. This trend of losing big matches began during the 2014 T20 World Cup final when Team India went down to Sri Lanka in Dhaka and has just continued, showing no sign of ending.

Before the two losses in the ICC finals this year, India had reached the semi-final of the 2022 T20 World Cup, only to be crushed by England by 10 wickets in Adelaide. It’s about time the Men in Blue turn a corner.

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In numbers: India’s performance across formats in 2023

The Men in Blue had an impressive 2023 in ODIs. (Pic: Getty Images)

If we review Team India’s performance by overall stats in 2023, they are highly impressive. The Men in Blue played 35 matches in the ODI format, winning 27 and losing seven, while one game did not produce any result - an excellent win percentage of 77.14.

They began the year with 3-0 drubbings of Sri Lanka and New Zealand at home before going down to Australia 2-1 in another home series. India then beat West Indies 2-1 in an away series before clinching the Asia Cup in commanding fashion.

The Men in Blue beat Australia 2-1 in an ODI series at home just ahead of the World Cup. In the ICC event, they were sensational, winning 10 matches on the trot, including the semi-final against New Zealand.

However, their juggernaut came to a screeching halt in the final against Australia. Team India ended the year in ODIs with a 2-1 series win in South Africa, but the wounds of the World Cup loss will take some time to heal.

Speaking of Test matches, India played eight in 2023, winning three and losing three, while two games ended in a draw. They won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at home by a 2-1 margin before going down to Australia in the WTC final. India then clinched a 1-0 Test series win in West Indies, but ended 2023 on a sour note, suffering an innings and 32-run defeat at the hands of South Africa in the Boxing Day Test in Centurion.

Shifting focus to the T20I format, the Men in Blue played 23 games, winning 15 and losing seven, while one game produced no result. India had a win percentage of 65.21 in T20Is in 2023. They beat Sri Lanka and New Zealand 2-1 at home before being stunned by West Indies 3-2 in an away series.

The Men in Blue then eased to victory in the two-match series in Ireland, while a second-string squad won the Asian Games gold. India also thumped Australia 4-1 in an inconsequential series at home played just days after the ODI World Cup final. Their last T20I assignment of the year was in South Africa. Led by Suryakumar Yadav, they drew the three-match series 1-1.

To sum up the India cricket team’s performance in 2023, one can say that it was the same old story again. They dominated the bilaterals and continued to impress in ICC events.

But the trophy eluded them again as they failed to conquer their knockout demons. That’s the harsh truth, but one that cannot be avoided.