'We decided we won't...': Virender Sehwag reflects on the impactful words of MS Dhoni that led India to 2011 WC win

Team India concluded its final bilateral action before the 2023 World Cup with a triumphant 2-1 series victory over Australia. Although the series ended on a disappointing note with India suffering a 66-run loss in the final match in Rajkot on Wednesday, the series win will undoubtedly boost the confidence of Rohit Sharma's men as they enter the World Cup. 

India's first warm-up match for the tournament is scheduled against England on September 30, and ahead of this crucial event on home soil, former India opener Virender Sehwag has some valuable advice for the team.

Sehwag, who played a pivotal role in India's victorious 2011 World Cup campaign under the captaincy of MS Dhoni, provided the team with electrifying starts in key matches throughout the tournament. Notably, Sehwag made a blistering start to India's campaign with a remarkable score of 175 against Bangladesh in Dhaka. 

In a conversation with Cricbuzz, the former opener shed light on Team India's off-the-field approach during the World Cup and explained how Rohit Sharma's men could benefit from adopting a similar strategy.

“When we had a team meeting, we decided we won't read newspapers, don't listen to outside noise. Anything which can add to pressure, we won't do. It had become a rule and almost everyone genuinely followed that. We stayed together, we tried enjoy and do team-building exercises. Because it's easy to drift apart in long tournaments such as these. Gary Kirsten and MS Dhoni ensured that we stay together,” Sehwag stressed.

"Before and after matches, we had get-togethers. And we used to mostly talk cricket. On dinners, cricket strategies used to be topic. I used to give suggestions. That was a big reason behind our World Cup win. Of course, we had pressure. Whether we were on flight, the CISF personnel, in hotel, the managers and waiters... everyone kept saying, 'win the World Cup'.

“But MS Dhoni has this one line, 'focus on the process'. Our process was good, that's why we won,” said the former India star.

India may have suffered a defeat in their final One Day International (ODI) match before the highly anticipated World Cup. However, Rohit Sharma, a key player in the team, maintains an unwavering optimism regarding the side's preparations for the upcoming marquee tournament. Throughout this month, India has showcased remarkable performances, emerging victorious in the Asia Cup and triumphing over Australia with a 2-1 scoreline in the ODI series. 

"The last 7-8 ODIs we've played really well in different conditions. We were challenged at different times and we took that challenge really well. Unfortunately, not the result we wanted today but I'm not going to look too much into this game. We've been playing really well," the skipper said at the post-match presentation.

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