2024 T20 World Cup: India's Dravid expecting third time fortunate

India lead trainer Rahul Dravid trusting his group will be third time fortunate as they head into the T20 World Cup 2024 last against South Africa.

Last year, the team of coach Rahul Dravid and captain Rohit Sharma lost both the World Test Championship final and the 50-over World Cup to Australia, which was a double setback.

India is on the verge of winning the T20 World Cup for the first time since the inaugural edition in 2007—more than any other nation—with the hugely successful Indian Premier League.

Dravid, who is remaining down as mentor after this competition, likes to see the two other participants spots as a positive indication of the group's consistency across designs.

"I believe it's great that we are reliable and playing great cricket. For a long time, particularly somewhat recently, being number one in every one of the three organizations, playing in the finals, it gives a great deal of credit to the young men who are Test cricketers, who are our one-day players and furthermore our T20 players.

"Indian cricket has shown a great deal of consistency and it is an extremely blissful thing. And we will win if we play well and have the green to prove it,” he stated.

The home crowd in Ahmedabad, expecting a celebration, witnessed Australia win with seven overs remaining, making the 50-over World Cup defeat particularly painful.

However, Rahul Dravid is of the opinion that there is no need to approach Saturday's match at Kensington Oval any differently than there was for the ODI defeat that occurred last year.

"In that final in Ahmedabad as well, I thought we were very well prepared," We had done everything, we had checked every one of the cases and, on the day, the other group would be advised to and that is impact of the game," he said.

"The other group that is coming there to play has likewise clearly arrived at the last, since they're a decent group and they're playing excellent cricket too. Therefore, they have the same right as we do to win it. In any case, we trust that we will play better cricket on the day," he added.

That description certainly applied to South Africa, who, like India, entered the final tournament undefeated.

Since returning to international cricket in 1991, South Africa have never been able to win a World Cup title in either format.

However, Dravid does not believe that South Africa's lengthy wait, which was only punctuated by a Champions Trophy victory in 1998, will add additional pressure.

"It isn't so much that similar players have been playing starting around 1991. Numerous players have left and joined. I don't feel that truly matters. I am unable to represent any of them. He stated, "I don't think players come in with the baggage of the past and what has happened in the past."

"Consistently is a new day. Players are truly adept at continuing on from things, of perceiving things. As a result, he asserted, "Yes, I think just as we will move on from Ahmedabad, I'm sure they will not be thinking about history and it will be a fresh day."

In what has been a low-scoring tournament, the surface in Barbados ought to be one of the more batting-friendly surfaces, and Rahul Dravid anticipates an entertaining spectacle.

"Two good teams, two teams, I think everyone will agree that South Africa and India, probably the top two teams in this tournament, played the best cricket, I think.

"Thus, meriting finals for both the groups and ideally it's an extraordinary round of cricket and ideally we fall on the right side," he said.