- By Manik Sharma
- Mon, 20 Nov 2023 01:37 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
The expectations were through the roof when India stepped out to play for the biggest prize in the cricket world, the World Cup trophy. However, their dreams were dashed as the star-studded Indian batting line-up stumbled on the grandest stage, leading to Australia's famous win by six wickets and securing their record-extending sixth ODI World Cup title.
In the final showdown, India posted a below-par total of 240 against Australia. Despite the disappointment, India's head coach Rahul Dravid stood by his players,saying that they were not playing defensively, but the circumstances of the game dictated their approach.
"We played fearless cricket; we had 80 runs in the first power play. Sometimes, you have to rebuild innings after losing a few wickets; we were not defensive," PTI quoted Dravid as saying during the post-match press conference.
India's quest for an ICC ODI World Cup title has remained unfulfilled since their victory in 2011. In the subsequent editions in 2015 and 2019, they faltered in the semi-finals. As for Dravid's future, he remained non-committal on extending his tenure.
"I have not given any thought to next year's T20 World Cup; I don't know what's there in the future," Dravid said.
The 2024 T20 World Cup will be in the USA and Caribbean. The major event featuring 20 teams will commence in June next year.
Throughout the tournament, India showcased a dominant performance winning 10 out of 10 matches. Captain Rohit Sharma's bold and impactful leadership drew praise from Dravid.
"Rohit has been an exceptional leader, always committed to planning and giving personal time and energy to this campaign. Obviously, there is disappointment, but this team has given a lot of joy in the past couple of months," acknowledged Dravid.
"But the sun will come up tomorrow, and as sportsmen, we move on," Dravid concluded, reflecting on the disappointment in the dressing room.