Table of Contents
In the cricketing world, prophecies are not uncommon. From the legendary moments etched in history to the predictions that tantalize the imagination, cricket thrives on these narratives. Suresh Raina, the stalwart of Indian cricket, recently unveiled a prophecy that could spark fervent discussions across the cricketing fraternity. In a bold declaration, Raina forecasted about a player whom he believes will seal India’s next World Cup triumph with a match-winning six.
India’s near misses in ICC tournaments: A decade of heartbreaks
India, boasting star-studded line-ups across formats, has experienced a drought in ICC trophy victories over the past 11 years. Despite their formidable presence on the global stage, the Men in Blue have been unable to secure a single ICC trophy during this period. Reflecting on the past decade, India’s journey in ICC tournaments across formats unveils a tale of near misses and heartbreaks.
In the 50-over World Cup, India’s quest for glory saw them reach the semifinals in 2015 and 2019, only to fall short of the ultimate prize. The 2023 edition held at home was perceived as a golden opportunity to break the trophy drought, but fate had other plans as they narrowly missed out on the title. Similarly, in the T20 World Cup, India’s campaigns witnessed varied fortunes-finalists in 2014, semifinalists in 2016 and 2022, and a disappointing group-stage exit in 2022.
Also READ: “Not sure I’ve ever heard anything like that”: Mitchell Starc in complete awe of MS Dhoni’s enormous popularity | IPL 2024
Transitioning to the World Test Championship (WTC) and the Champions Trophy (CT), India’s pursuit of silverware remained elusive. Despite securing berths in the finals of both tournaments in 2021 and 2023, they faltered at the final hurdle against New Zealand and Australia, respectively. The bitter memory of the CT 2017 final loss to Pakistan adds to India’s tale of close calls and missed opportunities.
Suresh Raina’s bold declaration
In light of these narratives, Raina’s prophecy adds a layer of intrigue to India’s quest for glory. Speaking to Lallantop, Raina expressed unwavering faith in a player – Rinku Singh,- whom he believes possesses a divine talent. Rinku is currently representing Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 .Raina boldly declared that in the event of India clinching the World Cup title, it will be Rinku’s bat that delivers the match-winning blow.
“He (Rinku) is God-gifted. Whenever the Indian team win the World Cup, the winning six will come from Rinku Singh’s bat. He is that kind of a player who will bail the team out of trouble,” Raina said.
