India’s head coach, Rahul Dravid, expressed the team’s determination to perform well in the upcoming Test series against South Africa, emphasizing the need to move on from recent disappointments. The Indian cricket team, still reeling from their World Cup final defeat, is gearing up for the two-Test series in South Africa, commencing on December 26.
In a press conference held after the team’s training session in Centurion, Dravid highlighted the players’ motivation for success in the Rainbow Nation, where India has never won a Test series. Acknowledging the disappointment from the World Cup final loss, Dravid stressed the importance of leaving setbacks behind and focusing on the next opportunity.
Several key players, including Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, and Virat Kohli, returned to competitive action for the first time since the World Cup final. The Test team engaged in an intense intra-squad practice match at the Tuks Oval in Pretoria last week.
During the training session in Centurion, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and KL Rahul participated in a rigorous batting session. The iconic venue will host the first Test, commencing on December 26, coinciding with Boxing Day.
“It’s happened before, and yes, it’s disappointing, but we’ve moved on. Now there’s something ahead of you. Players excel at moving on, we train for it from a young age. We’re forced to learn it since childhood. Every time you face disappointment, there’s another chance to perform. You can’t let past disappointments linger. As cricketers, we learn to deal with it from childhood. Allowing past disappointments to stay with you will affect your performance in the next game,” Dravid said to the Press on Sunday.
“Yes, the guys felt disappointed, we all did. However, we’ve all moved on from it now and eagerly anticipate what lies ahead,” he added.
