IND vs AUS: The joy of India’s triumphant win in the 2024 T20 World Cup may have lifted the spirits of cricket fans across the nation, yet the heartbreak from losing the 2023 Cricket World Cup final against Australia at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium continues to linger as one of the most agonizing moments in Indian cricket history.
For those unfamiliar with the story, the Indian team, led by Rohit Sharma, had a spectacular run in the 2023 World Cup. Playing on home soil, they dominated the tournament, winning all 10 matches on their way to the final. With a full house at the world’s largest cricket stadium, the Men in Blue appeared poised to lift the World Cup trophy for the third time. However, their dreams were shattered by a tactically brilliant Australian side.
Pat Cummins, the Australian captain, won the toss and opted to bowl first, a decision that paid off handsomely. India struggled to build momentum and managed to post a modest total of just 240 runs. Despite this, the Indian bowlers made a strong start, reducing Australia to 48-3. But then came Travis Head, whose spectacular performance turned the game around. Head played an outstanding knock, scoring 137 runs off just 120 balls. His innings, widely regarded as one of the greatest in the history of ODI cricket, helped Australia secure a six-wicket victory and their sixth World Cup title.
Reflecting on the defeat, former India head coach Rahul Dravid pointed to the role of luck in cricket. Dravid emphasized that sometimes the outcome of a match hinges on the smallest of margins. He recalled how India needed a bit of luck during their 2024 T20 World Cup victory, citing 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 little bit of luck. When there are 30 balls left and 30 runs required, it’s about execution and remaining 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 the 19th of November, I remember we beat 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 a close after the 2024 T20 World Cup win, with Gautam Gambhir taking over the role. Dravid, who took charge of the team in November 2021 following Ravi Shastri’s departure, led Indian cricket for two and a half years.