Rahul Dravid mentioned India have been remarkably constant to play three ICC finals within the final 12 months and the outgoing head coach hoped the mix of good cricket and luck will land his facet an elusive ICC title. India have been the vastly superior workforce within the ongoing T20 World Cup, similar to they had been within the ODI World Cup at residence final yr the place they faltered on the closing hurdle towards Australia. Now, Rohit and Co will face South Africa within the summit match on the Kensington Oval, hoping to win a world title after their triumph within the 2013 Champions Trophy.

“It’s a good factor we’ve got been constantly taking part in good cricket. We now have been in finals in all three codecs and credit score goes to the gamers. If we play nicely and rub of the inexperienced goes (our method) we’ll absolutely win,” mentioned Dravid, who shall be trying to finish his tenure on a excessive.

When the trophy is on the road, gamers are inclined to really feel extra strain than common.

However when it comes to psychological preparation, there’s not a lot India can do with only a day separating the semifinal and closing.

The workforce travelled to Barbados proper after the semifinal in Guyana towards England, however Dravid mentioned India are mentally prepared for the match.

“By way of our preparation, we have simply bought sooner or later within the center, so it is unlikely we will be having observe.”

“It is nearly all the fellows entering into making certain that bodily, mentally, tactically we’re prepared for the sport.”

Dravid underlined his facet’s preparedness for the summit match.

“These are the issues that we are able to management, that we’re recent, that we have taken care of all our niggles, if there are any. We have carried out all our tactical preparation and we’re mentally relaxed and excited and searching ahead to the sport.”

“We’ll be wanting to try this within the subsequent 24 hours and attempt to get ourselves in the proper mind set to have the ability to play that sport,” mentioned the previous India captain.

In 2023, India misplaced the WTC closing and ODI World Cup closing to Australia. Have they taken any classes from these heartbreaking defeats? “No, nothing. I believed we had been very well-prepared in Ahmedabad (ODI WC). We ticked all of the containers and, on that day, the opposite workforce performed higher. That is a part of the game.”

“The opposite workforce that is coming there to play has additionally clearly reached the ultimate as a result of they are a good workforce and so they’re taking part in excellent cricket as nicely. So, they’ve as a lot proper to win it as we do, however we hope that we’ll play higher cricket on the day,” he mentioned.

Of their Tremendous 8 opener, India had been in a position to put up 181 towards Afghanistan on a pitch the place taking part in on the up was powerful.

Dravid mentioned they had been trying to carry that data into the match towards South Africa.

“Yeah, I imply, simply the truth that we have performed a sport in Barbados is good. It is good that we’ve got that familiarity of getting performed on that floor prior to now.

“However once more, I feel it is very onerous to… We’re not going to get precisely the identical wicket that we bought final time. I imply, it may be totally different, proper? Dravid emphasised on the work the workforce put as a bunch coming into this showpiece whereas lauding their adaptive expertise.

“I feel what’s actually essential is that we have carried out rather well as a bunch. This complete match we’ve got proven the flexibility to adapt, to acknowledge what is an effective rating. We performed very in another way in New York, then we performed in St. Lucia, then we performed even in Barbados after I thought that the sport was fairly sluggish.

“I am simply hoping that no matter we come up towards, we could have the flexibility to acknowledge it and have the ability to play accordingly, as we have carried out within the final three video games,” mentioned Dravid.

He was referring to India’s potential to put up above-par totals on tough surfaces together with within the semifinal at Guyana the place they managed to put up 171 on a floor with low bounce.

South Africa managed to interrupt the long-running semifinal jinx within the World Cup, and Dravid mentioned the Proteas won’t be carrying any baggage.

“Probably not, I imply it isn’t that the identical gamers have been taking part in since 1991 and there is so many gamers that come and go. I do not suppose that basically issues. I am unable to converse for them. However I do not suppose gamers go in preserving their baggage of the previous.

Equally, Dravid mentioned the Indian gamers have the flexibility to maneuver on from the Ahmedabad debacle final yr.

“Gamers are excellent at transferring on from issues, recognizing issues. So, we’ll transfer on from Ahmedabad. I am certain they won’t be excited about historical past. It’s going to be a recent day.”

“Two good groups, two groups I feel that everybody will agree will in all probability be the highest two groups on this match. So, deserving finals for each the groups. And, hopefully, it is a fantastic sport of cricket. Hopefully, we fall on the proper facet,” added Dravid.

(Aside from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is printed from a syndicated feed.)