Team India head coach Rahul Dravid addressed the injury concerns facing the Men in Blue ahead of the much-anticipated 2023 ODI World Cup which is scheduled to commence on October 5. Ahead of the 2023 Asia Cup final between India and Sri Lanka, Dravid was quizzed about injuries to players and how big of a challenge it is for the management to make sure all the members in the squad stay in prime shame heading into the quadrennial competition.
Dravid didn't mince his words and affirmed that injuries are something that could really cost a team and underlined the importance of trusting the process while managing the workload of certain players.
"All teams are in a similar position, injuries so close to the WC could really cost you," Dravid told the host broadcaster.
"We just need to keep our fingers crossed, trust our processes. We are in a tricky situation where some guys need to be rested, while some guys need some cricket. It is a tricky balance to achieve," he added.
Currently, two Indian players - Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel - who are part of the ODI World Cup squad, are battling with nagging injuries.
The Indian coach also reflected on the team's performance in the 2023 Asia Cup tournament and was particularly pleased with how the group came together as a unit against Sri Lanka to scrap out a win while defending a low score in the Super 4s stage. Dravid also mentioned that finishing the job against a gritty Sri Lankan side in the final would be a challenging task.
"We were a bit worried about the weather, but we've got decent cricket throughout the tournament," said Dravid.
"Hopefully, we can get over the line today. Sometimes, you won't be at your best but to scrap out a win. Some of the catching and fielding in the earlier game against Sri Lanka was really impressive. We need to play good, smart cricket. They are a good team playing in home conditions, we need to execute our skills and scrap out a win," he added.
Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka won the toss in the all-important final and elected to bat first.
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