Former Indian captain and head coach Rahul Dravid reflected on Australian batter Travis Head's impactful innings in the ICC Cricket World Cup final last year, which played a crucial role in shattering India's dreams of winning the trophy on home soil.
Rahul Dravid reflects on 2023 ODI World Cup final heartbreak
Speaking at the CEAT Cricket Awards, Dravid highlighted that despite Indian bowlers managing to beat Head's bat around 15 times, he didn't touch a single ball. This observation underscored the role of luck, alongside skill, in cricket.
"I remember whatever it was, we beat Travis Head's bat 15 times -- he did not touch a single ball. You know, things can go your way sometimes, but you have to stick to the process. I have had time to reflect on it. I have had time to reflect on a lot of things we have done. You do realise, sometimes, you have to do a lot of these things, you have to do the process, you have to do everything right," Dravid said while speaking at the CEAT Cricket Awards function.
"Sometimes at the end of the day, you need a little bit of luck. Sometimes (it is) the skill, but we needed a guy who could keep his foot within one inch of a line," he further added.
Dravid Praises Current Indian Cricketers
Rahul Dravid expressed his admiration for the current generation of Indian cricketers, who have successfully carried forward the legacy of their predecessors from the 2000s. By dominating across all formats, winning the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, ICC Champions Trophy 2013, ICC T20 World Cup 2024, and achieving other significant milestones, the current Indian team has demonstrated their exceptional talent and commitment to the sport.
"I left in 2011-2012. These players have been able to carry the legacy forward. If you just look at the success that we have had over the last 12 years in all the three formats of the game, the time that after we left, it has been absolutely phenomenal," said Dravid.
"Very easily, clearly in a lot of the rankings, we are always (No.) 1 or 2... we are always up there with anyone. To be able to go out and win that, just the kind of cricket that we play, the level of skill of some of our players, the way that they approach the game, is great," Dravid concluded.
Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Rahul Dravid win big at CEAT Cricket Awards 2024
The 26th edition of the CEAT Cricket Awards honored a distinguished group of cricketers and sports leaders who demonstrated exceptional talent and leadership throughout the year. In the T20I category, Phil Salt was recognized as the Men's T20I Batter of the Year, while Tim Southee claimed the title of Men's T20I Bowler of the Year. Shreyas Iyer's tactical brilliance as captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders, leading them to the Indian Premier League (IPL) title, earned him the Award for Outstanding Leadership. Sai Kishore was honored as the Domestic Cricketer of the Year for his consistent performances at the domestic level.
In the ODI format, Virat Kohli was named the Men's ODI Batter of the Year, and Mohammad Shami was awarded the Men's ODI Bowler of the Year. Harmanpreet Kaur received the Award for Most Matches as a Captain in Women's T20I History. Yashashvi Jaiswal and Ravichandran Ashwin were honored as the Men's Test Batter of the Year and Men's Test Bowler of the Year, respectively. Deepti Sharma was named the Women's Indian Bowler of the Year, and Smriti Mandhana was awarded the title of Women's Indian Batter of the Year. Shafali Verma was recognised for her remarkable achievement of scoring the Fastest Double Century in Women's Test cricket. Jay Shah was honored with the Award for Excellence in Sports Administration for his significant contributions to the sport. Finally, Rahul Dravid was bestowed with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his invaluable contributions to the world of cricket.
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