NICK HOWSON: The ICC's No.1-ranked T20I nation are now without a white-ball world title since 2011 after they were tanked by England in Adelaide, backing up a cautious batting display with an ineffective bowling performance
Disgraced IPL founder Lalit Modi's Indian Premier League dreamchild, which he took to the ICC and the leading cricket boards at the inaugural men's T20 World Cup in South Africa in 2007, was given a fillip when a victorious India and Pakistan played out a thrilling final in Johannesburg.
For here was an exciting, unpredictable format of the game that a wider audience - an estimated two million people welcomed MS Dhoni's side home - would engage with. It was timely confirmation his plan had legs.
India's obsession with cricket, helped by the 1983 World Cup win, was already astronomical. But in Modi's words "in a matter of weeks, cricket fans in India had gone from being curiously interested in Twenty20 cricket to becoming its most ardent supporters".
While on the one hand the explosion of T20 cricket and the IPL has provided a breeding ground for young Indian cricketers (not least plenty of overseas stars, too) attention and scrutiny has grown alongside it. Consistent bilateral results - they had won 21 of the last 26 coming to Australia - and six spells as world No.1 have followed.
Baring the 50-over World Cup claimed on home turf in 2011, regular global success has not been. Four semi-final defeats and one runner-up finish are laden across the seven tournaments since. Global dominance hasn't translated into all-important silverware.
India leave another men's global tournament empty-handed (SURJEET YADAV/AFP /AFP via Getty Images)
"When it comes to knockout stages, it's all about handling the pressure," said the Mumbai Indians captain. "It depends on the individual as well.
"You can't teach anyone to handle pressure. When these guys play the playoffs in the IPL and all that, those are high-pressure games, and they're able to handle it."
Rohit Sharma's reflections after India crashed out at another global ICC event empty-handed were interesting in that they alluded to his players, who are showcased in the most-watched franchise event on the planet, buckling under the pressure. It is worth remembering that while the IPL is a high-octane two-month event, for the other 10 the BCCI block Indian players from participating in rival franchise tournaments.
Asked about the block on India players being sent to overseas leagues, head coach Rahul Dravid said: "It's tough. I think it's very difficult for Indian cricket because a lot of these tournaments happen right in the peak of our season.
"I think it's a huge challenge for us. Yes, I think a lot of our boys maybe do miss out on the opportunities of playing in a lot of these leagues. It's really up to the BCCI to make that decision, but the thing is it's right in the middle of our season, and with the kind of demand there would be for Indian players.
Rahul Dravid has appeared to rule out India players heading for overseas T20 competitions (PATRICK HAMILTON/AFP /AFP via Getty Images)
"If you allowed all the Indian players to play in these leagues, we would not have a domestic cricket [tournament]. Our Ranji Trophy would be finished, and that would mean Test cricket would be finished.
"I know a lot of people talk about it but we have to be very careful. We have to understand the challenges that Indian cricket faces or the BCCI would face in a situation like this. You'd see all our boys being asked to play leagues right bang in the middle of our season.
"We've seen what that's done to West Indian cricket, and I would definitely not want Indian cricket to go that way. It would certainly affect our Ranji Trophy; it would affect Test cricket. Indian boys playing Test cricket is pretty important for the Test game as well, I would think."
Is it now the case that the same obsessive audience that Modi activated 15 years ago are now a hindrance on the men's team?
Former England captain Nasser Hussain told Sky Sports: "Pressure can weigh you down. Do you turn up today treating it like any other game of cricket, or do you put more importance on it?
Celebrations start in Johannesburg (MICHAEL ERREY/AFP /AFP via Getty Images)
"You know if you get it wrong you know what that Indian media, fans and Twitterati are going to be like now. They go from hero to zero very quickly and that is weighing them down a little bit."
It is certainly true that India's approach in this tournament was in stark contrast to their bilateral form. Their powerplay run rate was at 6.02 - only United Arab Emirates at 4.71 scored slower - compared to 8.6 since the last World Cup in 2021.
But Rohit instead decided to take aim at the bowling battery, without Jasprit Bumrah as it has been through the tournament. New ball swing was only temporary for Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami and Arshdeep Singh and once England's attacking approach had paid off there was little in the way of a plan B.
Even a rousing team talk after nine overs or Hardik Pandya conducting the crowd couldn't create any momentum.
India cricket fans: dedicated yet obsessive? (SAEED KHAN/AFP via Getty Images)
"It's pretty disappointing how we turned up today," he added. "I thought we still batted pretty well at the back end to get to that score, but we were not good enough with the ball.
"It was definitely not a wicket where a team can come and chase it down in 16 overs. With the ball we didn't turn up today.
"The way we started with the ball was not ideal. We were a little nervy, but you have to give credit to the openers as well. They played really well.
"When Bhuvi bowled the first over it swung today, but not from the right areas. We wanted to keep it tight, not give room because square of the wicket was an area we were aware of - that's where the runs came today.
"If we keep it tight and the batsman still score runs, we'll take it. But we didn't do that today."
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