On June 7, 2023, the Kennington Oval in London will witness an intense battle as Team India squares off against Australia in the ICC WTC Final. With the highly anticipated match just around the corner, Indian head coach Rahul Dravid has responded to the opinions of esteemed cricket veterans such as Ravi Shastri, Ricky Ponting, and Wasim Akram, who have all chosen Australia as the frontrunners to claim victory in the final.
Previously, Ricky Ponting expressed his belief that the Indian players might experience fatigue following the conclusion of the IPL 2023 season. Conversely, Ravi Shastri shared his opinion that, with Jasprit Bumrah’s absence, the Australian team holds the upper hand as favorites to triumph in the WTC final. Adding to this sentiment, Wasim Akram also placed his bet on the Australian side.
During a conference held on June 5, Dravid was asked about the experts favoring Australia for the final. In a positive manner, he stated, “Whatever happens, it will happen over the next 5 days. Whatever is being said before and after doesn’t matter. Both teams are strong with talented players. I believe that if we play good cricket, take wickets, and score runs, we can win this. Perhaps, not having excessive hype is a good thing.”
When questioned about the pressure of winning an ICC trophy, Dravid emphasized, “We don’t feel any pressure in terms of trying to win an ICC trophy. Although it would be nice to achieve that feat and win an ICC tournament.”
“However, when you consider the bigger picture, you realize that this is the culmination of two years of hard work, along with significant achievements along the way. It’s important to focus on the positives – assessing our position in the table, winning series in Australia, and drawing series in other locations,” Dravid reflected on Team India’s journey.
He continued, emphasizing the team’s competitiveness and global presence over the past 5-6 years, stating, “These are the aspects that remain constant, regardless of whether we possess an ICC trophy or not. We must keep the bigger picture in mind.”