Former India fast bowler Irfan Pathan said the Indian team could not win the 2019 World Cup because they did not go into the tournament with proper planning. India’s World Cup dream was shattered after they lost to New Zealand in the semifinal.

“If you look at the recent 2019 tournament, it was bad planning, I think the team can do better planning. Look, we have resources, we have players, we have fitness, we have everything to be a world champion. The only thing lacking is that we did not have a No.4 batsman just before the World Cup as well,” Pathan said on the Cricket Connected Show on Star Sports.

India had tried a series of players at No.4 batting position during the 2019 World Cup, including KL Rahul, Vijay Shankar, and Rishabh Pant.

“We were struggling with having a proper eleven. I think we need to make sure that we have better planning going into the ICC trophies, going into the World Cup. If we have better planning, we have all the resources to be a champion,” Pathan added.

India, after winning the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013, have failed to win any major ICC tournament. Combining the performances of the men’s and women’s team, India have extended the country’s losing run in ICC finals and semi-finals to 8 matches in a row since 2013.

Pathan’s comments came after India’s 2-time World Cup-winning player Gautam Gambhir said lack of mental toughness was the behind India’s failure in the major ICC tournament in recent years.

The former opener said that India can make claims that it have got everything to be the world champions but can’t be called one until anything is proven on the cricket field.

Gautam Gambhir, who top-scored for India in 2007 T20 World Cup final and 2011 World Cup final, added that there is a chance to make mistakes in league stages but when it comes to the knockout stage India should refrain from making any. Gambhir opined that the role of “belief” in the team very important in the knockout stages.