Former England captain Michael Vaughan picked up an “alternate playing XI” for India, suggesting it was strong enough to reach the Champions Trophy final.
“Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravi Bishnoi…. This team would have made it to the final as well IMO,” he posted on X.
“The strength in Indian cricket in white ball is off the scale,” he said.
On Sunday in Dubai, India won their second ICC evens on the bounce with a four-wicket victory over New Zealand in the Champions Trophy final.
After the final, Vaughan has posted how the rest of the world now has to try and catch up.
“Let’s be honest India are the best team in the world in white ball cricket by a decent margin .. Thoroughly deserved to Win .. T20 holders/Champions trophy holders .. Now down to rest to try and catch up,” he said.
It was India’s 23rd win in 24 games across the last three men’s ICC events stretching back to 2023 – the only loss coming against Australia in the 2023 Cricket World Cup final.
India won the T20 World Cup final against South Africa last year.
India’s previous success came in 2013 and it was runner-up to Pakistan in 2017. It also shared the trophy with Sri Lanka in 2002 after a rain-affected two-day final.
India went through the entire tournament unbeaten after wins against Bangladesh, Pakistan and New Zealand in the group phase, and then Australia in the semifinal.
All of India’s matches were played in Dubai after the Indian government refused permission for its team to go to official host Pakistan on security grounds.
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