Rahul Dravid openly blames this for ICC World Cup 2023 loss; Travis Head claimed lucky

Former Team India head coach Rahul Dravid recently opened up about the role of luck in winning ICC tournaments, adding that teams need luck sometimes. Rahul Dravid said that Indian bowlers beat Australian opener Travis Head around 15 times in the 2023 World Cup final match but failed to produce an edge.

The Rohit Sharma-led team dominated throughout the ODI World Cup and won nine group-stage matches. India then defeated New Zealand in the semifinal to reach the final. However, the Men in Blue faced a setback against Australia and suffered a six-wicket loss in a one-sided match in Ahmedabad.

We Beat Travis Head's Bat 15 Times - Rahul Dravid

Speaking at the CEAT Cricket Awards ceremony in Mumbai on August 21, Rahul Dravid highlighted how luck played a role against them in the 2023 ODI World Cup final. Dravid recalled that Indian bowlers beat Travis Head 15 times, but the batter didn't touch a single delivery.

"I remember whatever it was, we beat Travis Head’s bat 15 times — he didn’t touch a single ball. You know, things can go your way sometimes, but you have to stick to the process. I’ve had time to reflect on it.

I’ve had time to reflect on a lot of things we’ve done. You do realize, sometimes, you have to do a lot of these things, you have to do the process, you have to do everything right," said Dravid.

In the chase for 241 runs, Travis Head scored 137 runs off 120 balls, and Marnus Labuschagne added an unbeaten 58. Head led Australia to victory with seven overs to spare. India had been bowled out for 240 with half-centuries from KL Rahul and Virat Kohli. Mitchell Starc took three wickets for Australia.

You Need A Little Bit Of Luck - Rahul Dravid

Rahul Dravid highlighted the role of luck in their recent T20 World Cup final win against South Africa. He mentioned that skill is important, but added that a player can make a difference in the victory.

“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," Dravid added.

Dravid didn't mention a name, but he was referring to Suryakumar Yadav’s crucial catch in the T20 World Cup 2024 final. With South Africa needing 16 runs off the last six balls, Surya took the stunning catch to dismiss David Miller. India won by seven runs and ended their decade-long wait for an ICC trophy.

The 51-year-old ended his tenure as Team India's head coach after the T20 World Cup 2024 win in June. Dravid did not want to renew his contract due to personal and family reasons. His journey was challenging, as India faced losses in the World Test Championship (WTC) final and the ODI World Cup in 2023.

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