[In Pics] “Motivating” - Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Shami share photos of PM Modi consoling players in dressing room after the 2023 World Cup
Indian cricketers Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Shami have shared photos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting the Indian dressing room after the 2023 World Cup final on Sunday.
The duo added how PM Modi raised the spirits and motivated Team India after they were heartbroken following their six-wicket loss to the Pat Cummins-led Australia.
For the unversed, Indian players were visibly disheartened as they failed to cross the final hurdle despite registering 10 wins on the trot. Captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Mohammed Siraj, among others, failed to keep their emotions in check and shed tears.
Jadeja wrote on X:
“We had a great tournament but we ended up short yesterday. We are all heartbroken but the support of our people is keeping us going. PM @narendramodi’s visit to the dressing room yesterday was special and very motivating.”
In a picture shared by Shami, Modi could be seen consoling Virat Kohli, who emerged as the Player of the Tournament, scoring 726 runs in 11 games. The speedster wrote on X:
“Unfortunately yesterday was not our day. I would like to thank all Indians for supporting our team and me throughout the tournament. Thankful to PM @narendramodi for specially coming to the dressing room and raising our spirits. We will bounce back!”
Shami emerged as the leading wicket-taker, with 24 scalps in seven matches, while Jadeja picked up 16 wickets in 11 games.
“Tough to see as a coach” – Rahul Dravid explains emotions in dressing room after India lost to Australia in World Cup final
Team India head coach Rahul Dravid, meanwhile, admitted that the players were disappointed with the loss against Australia in the World Cup final. The 50-year-old, however, lauded the side for their stellar performance until the final. He said in the post-match press conference:
“There was a lot of emotion in that dressing room. It was tough to see as a coach, because I know how hard these guys have worked, what they’ve put in, the sacrifices they’ve made. So, it’s tough. It’s tough to see that as a coach because you get to know these boys personally.”
He continued:
“Bad day for the boys at the office. The quality of cricket we played, we are proud of the team and boys. We ran a very good campaign.”
With the end of the 2023 World Cup, Rahul Dravid’s tenure as India's head coach came to an end. It remains to be seen whether he will be retained as the coach.