No excuses, no complaints, I just want to congratulate Australia on winning the final, they played better than us: Rahul Dravid

Rahul Dravid. (Photo Source: Alex Davidson-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)

India head coach Rahul Dravid provided a straightforward assessment of the preparations of his side following the loss against Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2021-23 final, which concluded on Sunday, June 11, at The Oval in London.

Rohit Sharma-led team India endured a comprehensive defeat at the hands of the Aussies by a humongous margin of 209 runs. In the process, not only did the Australian side clinch the prestigious mace but also became the first team to win all ICC titles across all formats of the sport.

Following India’s defeat, head coach Rahul Dravid made a rather blunt assessment, as he stated that he would never be satisfied with the preparations of his side. He further highlighted the packed schedule, which hampers the preparations in the lead-up to the summit clash.

“I’m never going to be happy with the preparations as a coach. But that’s the reality I’m ready to accept, and we all have to accept. The schedules are so cramped and tight. These guys know… if you’re playing international cricket, and if you’re here 3 weeks before the tour, playing two side-games, you are going to be better prepared,” Dravid said on Star Sports after India’s loss.

“But we don’t have that. The situation doesn’t allow it. We have to make do with what we can. No excuses, no complaints, I just want to congratulate Australia on winning the final, they played better than us on all five days. We just need to look at ourselves, see how we can get better, and what we can improve on,” he added.

India look to break winless streak in upcoming ODI World Cup

Notably, Pat Cummins-led Australia outrightly dominated throughout the course of the five days and set a mammoth 444-run target on the penultimate day. Though the Indian side got off to an aggressive start in the chase, their fall of wickets at regular intervals eventually dented their dreams of lifting the coveted mace. Team India will now look to build core side for the forthcoming ODI World Cup 2023, slated to be held in October-November and push through to obtain their first ICC title in nearly a decade.