Ahead of Team India’s T20 World Cup 2024 opener, on Wednesday (June 5), outgoing head coach Rahul Dravid lauded the national team for being consistent in major events despite their 11-year-long ICC title drought. India have not won an ICC trophy since 2013 Champions Trophy but have remained one of the most consistent sides, making it to the knockouts at regular intervals. Dravid stated that India isn’t thinking about their trophy jinx and are focused on getting into the knockouts of the ongoing T20 WC, in West Indies and USA.
Speaking to the press, two days before India’s match versus Ireland in New York on Wednesday, Dravid said, “To be very honest with you, I think we’ve actually played really well in these World Cup tournaments. In terms of our consistency, we’ve been very consistent. Obviously making the semi-final in Australia (2022). The World Test Championship is slightly different, it’s not one tournament, but it’s a whole cycle but playing extremely well in that cycle to get to the final there again.”
He further opnied, “And then we know the 50-over World Cup where we had a great run and went into the final. So, in terms of our consistency and quality of cricket that we have played in these big tournaments, we’ve been right up there with some of the best teams.”
Dravid mentioned, “Yes, we probably haven’t been able to get across the line in the knockout game. So, we just probably haven’t been able to execute in that last phase. So, hopefully we play good cricket to get ourselves into those positions again and then maybe play good cricket on the day to cross the line.
“The important thing is when you start these tournaments is not to think about that, is to actually think about getting into those positions. You have to find yourselves in those positions where you are pushing for glory and that’s all you can do as a group and as a team,” the fomrer Indian captain added.
Under Dravid, who took over as coach in late 2021, India reached the semifinals of the 2022 T20 WC, played the 2023 WTC final and also reached the home ODI WC final later in the year. With him set to quit his job post the ongoing competition, Rohit Sharma-led India will be keen to give him a fitting farewell with a T20 WC win.
India are placed in Group A along with arch-rivals Pakistan, Ireland, USA and Canada.