'Hope luck is with us this time': Dravid on India's chances of lifting the World Cup

Team India (Pic: AFP)

Rahul Dravid said India have been remarkably consistent to play three ICC finals in the last 12 months and the outgoing head coach hoped the combination of smart cricket and luck will land his side an elusive ICC title.

India have been the vastly superior team in the ongoing World Cup, just like they were in the ODI World Cup at home last year where they faltered at the final hurdle against Australia.

Now, Rohit and Co will face South Africa in the T20 World Cup 2024 final at the Kensington Oval, hoping to win a global title after their triumph in the 2013 Champions Trophy.

"It is a good thing we have been consistently playing good cricket. We have been in finals in all three formats and credit goes to the players. If we play well and rub off the green (our way) we will surely win," said Dravid, who will be looking to end his tenure on a high.

When the trophy is on the line, players tend to feel more pressure than usual.

But in terms of mental preparation, there is not much India can do with just a day separating the semifinal and final.

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The team travelled to Barbados right after the semifinal in Guyana against England, but Dravid said India are mentally ready for the match.

"In terms of our preparation, we've just got one day in the middle, so it's unlikely we're going to be having practice. It's just about all the guys getting into ensuring that physically, mentally, tactically we are ready for the game."

Dravid underlined his side's preparedness for the T20 World Cup 2024 final.

"Those are the things that we can control, that we are fresh, that we've looked after all our niggles, if there are any. We've done all our tactical preparation and we're mentally relaxed and excited and looking forward to the game."

"We'll be looking to do that in the next 24 hours and try and get ourselves in the right frame of mind to be able to play that game," said the former India captain.

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In 2023, India lost the WTC final and ODI World Cup final to Australia. Have they taken any lessons from those heartbreaking defeats?

"No, nothing. I thought we were very well-prepared in Ahmedabad (ODI WC). We ticked all the boxes and, on that day, the other team played better. That's part of the sport. The other team that's coming there to play has also obviously reached the final because they're a good team and they're playing very good cricket as well. So, they have as much right to win it as we do, but we hope that we'll play better cricket on the day," he said.

In their Super 8 opener here, India were able to post 181 against Afghanistan on a pitch where playing on the up was tough.

Dravid said they were looking to carry that knowledge into the match against South Africa.

"Yeah, I mean, just the fact that we've played a game in Barbados is nice. It's nice that we have that familiarity of having played on that surface in the past. But again, I think it's very hard to... We're not going to get exactly the same wicket that we got last time. I mean, it can be different, right?"

(With agency inputs)