IND vs. OFF: The joy of India’s triumphant win in the 2024 T20 World Cup may have lifted the spirits of cricket fans across the country but the heartbreak of losing the 2023 Cricket World Cup final against Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad remains one of the most nerve-wracking moments in the history of Indian cricket.
For those unfamiliar with the story, the Indian team, led by Rohit Sharma, had a spectacular showing at the 2023 World Cup. Playing on home soil, they dominated the tournament and won all 10 matches en route to the final. With a packed cricket stadium in the world’s largest stadium, the Men in Blue looked set to lift the World Cup trophy for the third time. However, their dreams were shattered by a tactically brilliant Australian team.
Australian captain Pat Cummins won the toss and opted to bowl first, a decision that paid off handsomely for him. India struggled to gain momentum and managed to score a modest total of just 240 runs. Despite this, the Indian bowlers got off to a good start, reducing Australia to 48-3. But then came Travis Head, whose spectacular performance turned the game on its head. Head bowled an excellent pitch, scoring 137 runs off just 120 balls. His innings, widely regarded as one of the best in the history of ODI cricket, helped Australia secure a six-wicket win and their sixth World Cup title.
Reflecting on the defeat, former India coach Rahul Dravid highlighted the role of luck in cricket. Dravid emphasised that sometimes, the outcome of a match depends on the smallest of margins. He recalled how India needed a bit of luck during their 2024 T20 World Cup win, and cited Suryakumar Yadav’s incredible catch to dismiss David Miller in the final against South Africa as a turning point.
“Sometimes at the end of the day, you need a bit of luck. When you have 30 balls left and you need 30 runs, it’s all about execution and staying calm, like Rohit did,” Dravid said at the CEAT awards ceremony in Mumbai. He added: “We didn’t focus enough on what we needed to do. Sometimes, it’s about having someone who can keep their foot an inch behind the line. On November 19, I remember we hit Travis Head’s bat 15 times without getting a single edge. Sometimes things go your way, but you have to stick to the process.”
Dravid’s tenure as the head coach of the Indian team came to an end after the 2024 T20 World Cup victory, with Gautam Gambhir taking over the role. Dravid, who took charge of the team in November 2021 following the departure of Ravi Shastri, led Indian cricket for two-and-a-half years.
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