India, March 17 -- Say what you will, the wounds of the Ahmedabad loss in 2023 are still raw. Yes, India's men have since won a barrage of ICC trophies, like the T20 World Cup in 2024 and 2026, the Champions League Trophy in 2025, but the loss that day against Australia is still a painful memory for so many of us. Let's not fool ourselves that all is fine.

After their first single round robin group game against Australia, which tested them a little, the Indians were unstoppable in the tournament until they reached the final. New Zealand, South Africa, England, you name it, they all were taken to the cleaners. It was India's trophy to lose, and lose they did, sadly!

There was a very hostile background to the match, too. On the eve of the...