India suffered a 209-run defeat in the final, prolonging their ICC title drought since their last triumph in the 2013 Champions Trophy.
Over the years, India has experienced changes in captaincy, reaching the finals on four occasions yet they have failed to perform at the big stage, particularly in knockout matches. New Zealand and Australia have given team India scars on many occasions.
Read More: R. Ashwin Responds To Being Left Out Of The WTC Final 2023
Winning IPL Is More Challenging, Said Ganguly
Ganguly’s assertion that winning the Indian Premier League (IPL) is more challenging than winning an ICC title raised eyebrows among many cricket enthusiasts. Defending Rohit Sharma’s captaincy following his underwhelming performances in ICC events, Ganguly said:
I have full faith on Rohit. He and MS Dhoni have won 5 IPL titles. Winning the IPL isn’t easy because it’s a tough tournament. Winning the IPL is more difficult than winning a World Cup as there are 14 matches after which you take part in the playoffs. In the World Cup, it takes only 4-5 matches for a place in the semis. In the IPL, it takes 17 matches for you to become champions.
Ganguly emphasized the difficulty of winning the IPL, highlighting the 14 matches followed by playoffs required to become champions compared to the World Cup, where a few matches determine a spot in the semifinals.
Butt Disagrees With Ganguly’s Assertion
In response, Salman Butt expressed his shock and disagreement with Ganguly’s analogy, stating that it is inappropriate to compare league cricket with Test and international cricket. Butt said his YouTube vlog:
I didn’t expect a world-class player and a captain to say something like this. How can you compare league cricket with Test (and international) cricket? There’s no comparison. You’re comparing the ultimate format of cricket with the shortest format where only four international players are in a team? There’s no comparison.
However, Ganguly continues to believe in Rohit Sharma’s ability to lead India and end their ICC title drought. He justified the selection of Rohit as captain, citing his five IPL titles, his success at the international level, including winning the Asia Cup, and India’s presence in the Test championship final, despite the loss.
Ganguly emphasized the selectors’ decision to pick the individual they deemed best for the job, taking into account Rohit’s track record and leadership qualities.
The contrasting views between Ganguly and Butt regarding the significance of IPL success versus international achievements reflect the ongoing debate within cricket circles. While Ganguly remains optimistic about Rohit Sharma’s captaincy, Butt’s criticism underscores the differing opinions on the matter.