‘We’ve won a lot of games under the same pressure’: Kapil Dev defends Team India, says ‘you can't win trophy every time’

Reacting to India's loss in WTC Final, former captain Kapil Dev said the media often goes harsh on the team after a bad game and tends to overlook the better performance in the past.

Former captain and legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev has come in support of Team India after their defeat against New Zealand in the inaugural ICC World Test Championship (WTC) in Southampton. The game witnessed the struggle of Indian batters against a potent Kiwi bowling attack. Virat Kohli & Co were bowled out for 170, setting a 136-run target for New Zealand. In reply, Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor played phenomenal knocks, ensuring a historic win for the Black Caps.

File image of Kapil Dev (PTI)

While speaking on Sports Yaari's YouTube channel, the 1983 World Cup-winning captain said the media often goes harsh on the team after a bad game and tends to overlook the better performance in the past.

“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’. We have all won a lot of games under the same pressure as well,” Dev said on Sports Yaari’s YouTube channel.

Kohli & Co will now shift focus to the 5-match Test series against England which begins August 4 in Nottingham. The Indian players have a three-week break before they reassemble in the UK on July 14. India haven’t won a Test series on English soil since 2007. It’s a great opportunity for them to break the jinx, given the current form of Joe Root-led England.