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Regardless of future victories, the disappointment of India’s defeat to Australia in the ODI World Cup 2023 will remain a significant memory. Led by Rohit Sharma, the team had been undefeated throughout the tournament until the final in Ahmedabad, where they faced a crushing defeat. India was bowled out for 240, and Travis Head’s match-winning century secured Australia’s sixth World Cup title.
The dressing room was somber after the loss, with some players in tears and others in shock, trying to come to terms with the outcome. During this difficult time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a surprise visit to the dressing room to address and comfort the players.
The video of PM Modi’s visit went viral online. Months later, former batting coach Vikram Rathour reflected on how the Indian Prime Minister’s motivational words significantly uplifted the players in the dressing room.
“That’s [the vibe] something extraordinary. That’s what a real leader is. The dressing room was very serious after losing the final. Everybody was low and down and suddenly he walked in. At least, I didn’t know he was coming. So everybody stood up, and the way he spoke to the team and assured them that ‘You all played very well. It’s okay if you lost one game. We are all proud of you’. That kind of a message lifts you up and it did, actually. Everybody in the dressing room felt great,” Rathour told former domestic cricketer Taruvar Kohli on the latter’s YouTube channel.
The former India batting coach disclosed that the team was in excellent form, and their winning streak had instilled confidence for a remarkable finish. However, the outcome of the World Cup left them utterly devastated.
“The atmosphere was great while we were winning. The crowd was terrific as well. They supported us throughout the tournament. I had never seen so many people turning up in blue. Wherever we went they were there. In fact, they turned up at the hotels on match days at 8 AM in the morning. It was something hadn’t seen before,” Rathour said.
“The atmosphere was such that we felt we were going to do something special this World Cup. The way the team was responding to that… we had just won the Asia Cup as well. Everything seemed right. But from there, not being able to finish on the winning side was heartbreaking,” he added.
