Indian Players Lack 'Mental Toughness' To Handle Pressure In Crucial Games: Gautam Gambhir

Gambhir believes the current Indian team cannot be termed as World Champions unless they emerge as champions in big-ticket tournaments like the World Cup.

Photo: AFP

The Indian cricket team former star opener Gautam Gambhir said that the reason why the current Indian squad loses in the finals and semi-finals is that they lack "mental toughness" while playing in the knockout stages of multi-lateral tournaments.

Last time the Indian cricket team won an ICC tournament was in the year 2013 when legendary wicket-keeper batsman MS Dhoni-led his national squad to win the Champions Trophy in England.

"What sets you apart from being a good player to being a very very good player in a team squad is what you do in those crucial games. I think probably we have not been able to handle the pressure, probably other teams have been able to handle the pressure that way," Gambhir said while speaking on Star Sports show Cricket Connected.

"If you look at all the semi-finals and finals, it just shows 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," he added.

Gambhir believes the current Indian team cannot be termed as World Champions unless the Men in Blue emerge as champions in big-ticket tournaments like the World Cup.

"We can keep talking that we've got everything, we have the ability to be the world champions but till the time you don't go on the cricket field and prove that you will never be called the world champion," said Gambhir.

"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," Gambhir said.

"So that's where beliefs come into play and that where India lacks in all those crucial games," he added.