India’s head coach, Rahul Dravid, has expressed his belief that the team led by Rohit Sharma is not burdened by any sort of pressure ahead of the highly anticipated World Test Championship final against Australia, set to kick off on June 7 at The Oval. Dravid, who is 50 years old, also highlighted that this is the first time he has witnessed less hype surrounding an ICC event, with media briefings mainly focused on the upcoming Ashes 2023.
In preparation for the final, the Indian team arrived in London in three separate batches and put in rigorous training sessions to acclimatize to the foreign conditions. However, unlike previous occasions, the buzz in England has primarily revolved around England’s one-off Test against Ireland and the FA Cup final. Consequently, the Indian cricketers have not encountered the same level of pressure associated with clinching an ICC Trophy, which has been long overdue for them.
Dravid emphasized that reaching the World Test Championship final is the culmination of two years of relentless hard work, and regardless of the outcome in the summit clash, no one can diminish their achievements. Nevertheless, he made it clear that the team is determined to give their all in their quest to secure their first ICC trophy in almost a decade.
When asked about the pressure on the Indian team, Dravid confidently stated, “No, not at all. I mean, we don’t feel any pressure in terms of trying to win an ICC trophy. Of course, it would be nice to do it. It’s certainly nice to be able to win an ICC tournament. But also in the context of things, you look at this and you see this is the culmination of two years of work, it’s a culmination of a lot of success that gets you here.”
He further emphasized the positive aspects of the team’s journey, highlighting their achievements in winning series in Australia, drawing series elsewhere, and displaying competitiveness across the globe in the past five to six years. Dravid emphasized that these accomplishments remain significant regardless of whether they have an ICC trophy or not, as they contribute to the larger picture of the team’s success.
Dravid concluded his remarks by acknowledging the desire to emerge victorious in the World Test Championship final, stating, “But, of course, it’s nice to be able to lift any game of cricket you want to win. This happens to be like a World Test Championship final, and it would be nice to get them on the right side of the result.” His comments were reported by ESPNcricinfo, reflecting the team’s determined mindset as they prepare for the highly anticipated clash against Australia.
