Rahul Dravid, the former head coach of India, opened up in detail on the importance of maintaining a vibrant team atmosphere cultivated during the 2023 ODI World Cup, revealing how it became a key factor in their success at the subsequent T20 World Cup this year. Speaking on Wednesday, Dravid stressed how the support staff worked tirelessly to carry forward the energy despite a heartbreak in the final last year, where the side suffered a crushing defeat to Australia.

Dravid and the team management's determination culminated in a historic triumph at the T20 World Cup held in the Americas this year, a fitting achievement before he stepped down from his role. His tenure, marked by a significant focus on team dynamics and consistency, has left an indelible mark on Indian cricket.

"Honestly, I didn't want to do anything different. I think we ran a fantastic campaign in the one-day World Cup, Rohit and the team, everyone involved in that one-day World Cup, we ran a superb campaign,” Dravid said at the Ceat Cricket Rating Awards.

India's campaign at the ODI World Cup 2023 was a masterclass in dominance, with the team securing victories in all nine group-stage matches and defeating New Zealand in a thrilling semifinal to advance to the final. However, their near-perfect run ended in disappointment as they suffered a one-sided defeat to Australia in Ahmedabad.

Despite the setback, Dravid remained committed to maintaining the winning atmosphere that had been cultivated throughout the tournament.

The former head coach emphasised that the support staff were determined not to alter the dynamics that had brought them success in the ODI World Cup, believing that these established patterns would be equally beneficial in the T20 format. This unwavering approach, rooted in consistency and team cohesion, ultimately helped India achieve triumph in the T20 World Cup.

“There's nothing we could have done more in terms of our preparation, the planning, the execution of what we needed to do for 10 games in a row to dominate, to win the game we did, play the game we did,” said Dravid.

“I did not want to change anything. If you'd asked me and we had a discussion with our support staff, we'd get together with the coaches and say, what do you think we should do differently?

“The common consensus (among the team) was we need to do exactly what we did. We need to create the same energy, create the same vibe, the same team atmosphere that we had and then just hope that on the day, we'll have a little bit of luck."

Australia were the better team

Dravid had previously acknowledged that India just weren't good enough in the ODI World Cup final, and reiterated his statement on Wednesday.

“I thought we ran a phenomenal campaign. We came unstuck in the final and Australia played better cricket than us on the day. They were a better team and congratulations (to them). That can happen in sport and that's what sport is about,” he said.

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