Before the long-awaited final of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 against South Africa, India’s head coach Rahul Dravid has dismissed any notion that they have an advantage due to their familiarity with the Barbados wicket in the big match on Saturday, June 29.
Dravid stressed that the Indian cricket team’s Super-8 match against Afghanistan in Barbados does not necessarily give them an advantage over South Africawho are yet to play at the venue in the ongoing 2024 T20 World Cup.
However, he admitted that it could be beneficial to have previous experience playing on the Barbados surface, but conditions can vary significantly from match to match. The outgoing Indian coach has emphasized the importance of adaptability, a quality that he believes has been key to his team’s success in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024.
Rahul Dravid dismisses Barbados lead ahead of ICC T20 World Cup 2024 final
Notably, India and South Africa reach the summit clash as undefeated teams in the tournament. Reflecting on the Men in Blue’s track record in the tournament, Dravid highlighted the team’s ability to quickly adjust its game plan according to the conditions and strengths of the opponent.
He noted that this adaptability has been crucial in determining what scores they needed in various scenarios. As India prepare to face South Africa in the final clash, Dravid underlined the team’s focus on maintaining their adaptable approach and readiness to face any challenge in Barbados.
He expressed confidence in India’s ability to perform under pressure, emphasizing their collective effort and strategic flexibility as key factors in beating South Africa and winning the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Rahul Dravid said at the pre-match press conference in Barbados: “Just the fact that we have played a match in Barbados is good. It is good that we have that familiarity from having played on that surface in the past. But again, I think it is very difficult…
“We’re not going to get exactly the same ground that we got last time. It may be different. And I think what’s really important and I think what we’ve done really well as a group, I think in this whole tournament, is that we’ve shown ability to adapt, to recognize what a good score is.”
Score above 200 not possible in Barbados: Rahul Dravid
Dravid also ruled out the possibility of totals of 200 or more runs on the Barbados surface in the final. The head coach said they would have a clearer idea once they analyzed the wickets in the match, but stressed that scoring even 170 runs would look like 200 runs in Barbados for sure.
He signed off by saying: “The wicket was a bit slower and lower in that game. It wasn’t a bad wicket by any stretch, but it was a bit slower and lower and we got a par-plus score again. So, I think that should be the target. It’s not just about getting 200 here. 170 was like a 200. So, it’s just about figuring out what it is. And hopefully when we get to Barbados, we’ll see what it’s like.”
