"Never Going To Be Happy...": Rahul Dravid's Blunt Take On WTC Final Preparation

13.06.2023 - 08:01 sports.ndtv.com

India's wait for their next ICC trophy continues as they lost to Australia in the World Test Championship final on Sunday at The Oval.

Needing 280 runs to win with seven wickets in hand on Day 5, Team India was bundled out for 234 within the first session as Australia registered a victory by 209 runs.

With this win, Australia became the first team to clinch all four ICC titles. For India, it was another heartbreak as their batting order failed to deliver on the same ground, where Australian batters had set a huge target of 444.

After the defeat, India head coach Rahul Dravid expressed disappointment over his responsibilities and stated that things could have been different if they would have got three weeks' time to practice. "Never going to be happy with the prep as a coach (enough preparation time?) .

cricket Australia Cricket Team on Virat Kohli Rahul Dravid Australia India

The World Test Championship final turned out to be a nightmare for Team India as they faced a 209-run defeat against Australia. In the chase of 444, the Rohit Sharma-led side was bundled out for 234 after Nathan Lyon and Scott Boland took four and three wickets respectively. Not only the bowlers but their batters too made vital contributions to the team's victory. Travis Head and Steve Smith brought up their respective hundreds and comfortably dominated the Indian bowlers. Apart from them, there was another player who also utterly impressed everyone and he was wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey.

"...Since Virat Kohli Stepped Down": Ex Pak Star's Blunt Take On Rohit Sharma's Captaincy

India's failure in the World Test Championship final for the second consecutive occasion has raised many questions on the team's leadership structure. Rohit Sharma, who took over the captaincy after Virat Kohli stepped down last year, isn't in the finest of forms with the bat and has seen his captaincy being questioned too. Former Pakistan batter Salman Butt, in his analysis of India's Test performances under Rohit, said that it's been downhill for the subcontinent giants since Kohli stepped down.

"Problem Lies In Senior Players": Ex-India Selector's Take On WTC Final Loss

With India losing World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia at The Oval in London, former India team selector Sarandeep Singh said there "was some slack in captaincy" and that Ravichandran Ashwin should have been part of the playing XI. India lost the ICC World Test Championship title for the second time after reaching the finals. Australia defeated India by 209 runs at The Oval on June 11 and made history by becoming the first-ever team to clinch all major ICC trophies.

Sunil Gavaskar's Sharp 'Dadas In India' Remark As Rahul Dravid Defends His Batters

The Indian cricket team once again failed to perform when it mattered the most, with Australia emerging triumphant by 209 runs in the ICC World Test Championship final. Be it the bowling unit or the batting unit, the players hardly managed to create an impact. India head coach Rahul Dravid understandably had to answer some difficult questions after the match, particularly from his former teammates Sourav Ganguly and Harbhajan Singh.

Why India Chose To Bowl In WTC Final? Head Coach Rahul Dravid Explains

Head coach Rahul Dravid defended India's decision to bowl first in the World Test Championship Final against Australia, saying the call was dictated by overcast conditions and grass on the pitch. In pursuit of a record 444, India were bowled out for 234 in the first session of the fifth day itself to lose their second WTC Final in a row by a massive margin of 209 runs. Dravid was posed some tough questions by Sourav Ganguly, who commentated during the WTC Final.

"Choice Is Yours": Ravi Shastri Puts Onus On India Players Over IPL Decision After WTC Final Loss

Former India coach Ravi Shastri on Sunday sounded skceptical about the possibility of players getting extended gap after the IPL or practice games ahead of future WTC final matches unless there is a change in thought by all the stakeholders. After India suffered a huge 209-run defeat against Australia at the Oval, head coach Rahul Dravid said arriving in England at least two weeks earlier and playing some side matches would have been ideal for the team ahead of the big game. However, Shastri did not buy into the idea and put the onus on the players to make a choice.