"One bad performance and the media shows it a hundred times" - Kapil Dev defends Team India

Kapil Dev has defended Team India after their humbling eight-wicket defeat to New Zealand in the World Test Championship (WTC) final in Southampton. The World Cup-winning captain said the media often goes overboard with its criticism after every bad game and tends to overlook the better performances in the tournament.

The WTC final loss was India's fifth straight in an ICC knockout since 2013 as it fanned perceptions that Virat Kohli's men struggle to manage the pressure of the big occasion. Kapil Dev, though, insisted that reaching a final or semi-final in tournaments is an achievement in itself.

He added that the Indian team has won innumerable games under similar situations, so one poor outing shouldn't define them.

"Tell me one thing: they are reaching the semi-final or final each and every time, isn't that an achievement in itself? We criticise very quickly. You can't win the trophy every time. Look at how well they played. If they lose one match here or the World Cup semi-final, does that mean they are succumbing to pressure? No, that's not how it goes. They (the opposition) had a better day,; they played better. We see it very critically - one bad performance and the media shows it a hundred times: 'These guys can't take the pressure, can't take pressure'. We have all won a lot of games under the same pressure as well," Dev said on Sports Yaari's YouTube channel.

#OnThisDay in 1983: A historic day for the Indian cricket as the @therealkapildev-led #TeamIndia lifted the World Cup Trophy. 🏆 👏 pic.twitter.com/YXoyLyc5rO

— BCCI (@BCCI) June 25, 2021

India topped the points table in the inaugural WTC with 12 wins, four losses and a draw. New Zealand, meanwhile, reached the summit clash after playing the least number of games among the top-eight teams - 11 - winning seven of them.

Five-Test series against England looming for Team India next

This isn’t just a team. It’s a family. We move ahead. TOGETHER 💙🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/E5ATtCGWLo

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) June 24, 2021

Virat Kohli might have failed to stamp his legacy in the WTC final, but he will get an opportunity to redeem himself in just a few weeks.

India last won a Test series in England in 2007 and have been outplayed since then. In 2018, they looked the most competitive in over a decade but failed to convert crucial moments, losing the series 4-1.

The upcoming five Tests against Joe Root 's men will give Kohli and co arguably the best opportunity to set the record straight in England. An emphatic series win would not only heal the wounds of the past few years but also clear any doubts about the team's future prospects.

The first Test of the marquee five-match series will commence on August 4.at Trent Bridge.