“At 47/3, if India were chasing 240, they would have gone into their shell” - Gautam Gambhir credits brave Australia for 2023 World Cup final triumph

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir has credited Australia for being the braver side in the 2023 World Cup final. According to Gambhir, while the Aussies attacked despite losing three early wickets in their chase of 241, India would have gone into their shell in the same situation.

Team India went into the 2023 World Cup final as favorites, having won 10 matches in a row. However, they stumbled on the big day, going down to the Aussies by six wickets at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

Sent into bat after losing the toss, India were held to 240 as Mitchell Starc (3/55), Pat Cummins (2/34) and Josh Hazlewood (2/60) starred with the ball. Travis Head then struck a brilliant ton to lift the Aussies to victory.

In an interaction with Sportskeeda, Gambhir hailed Australia for showing courage under immense pressure.

“Got to give credit to Australia. I think they were braver. At 47/3, if India were chasing 240, they would have gone into their shell even more. Travis Head scored a run-a-ball hundred. They were braver and the team that has courage will win big matches and big tournaments. Most talented teams don’t go and win tournaments. That is the truth. The sooner we accept, the better it is,” the former India cricketer said.

Chasing 241, the Aussies lost David Warner (7), Mitchell Marsh (15), and Steve Smith (4) inside the first powerplay. Head, however, hammered 137 off 120 balls to guide his team to their sixth World Cup title.

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“Keep reasonable expectations” - Gambhir’s message to Indian fans after 2023 World Cup heartbreak

Reflecting on the 2023 World Cup final result, Gambhir has urged Indian fans to have reasonable expectations from the Indian cricket team. While admitting that many people in the country are disappointed over the defeat, the 2011 World Cup winner emphasized the fact that no one would be hurting more than the players.

The 42-year-old threw his weight behind the Indian team and termed them a champion side despite the result not going their way in the final.

Empathizing with the cricketers, he commented:

“We cannot understand the amount of regret players in the dressing room will have. The emotions that players in the dressing room go through, no one can experience that. You would have seen the reactions to the loss, but the [somber] atmosphere in the dressing room is something that won’t be experienced anywhere else."

“Keep reasonable expectations, it’s a game of cricket. One team will win and one will lose. I had said before the final as well, irrespective of the result, they played like champions. This is the reality. Dominating 10 matches and winning them is no small thing. I know everyone wants to win the World Cup, but the other team has also come to play,” he went on to add.

India got off to a good start in the final, reaching 76/1 in the 10th over. However, the dismissal of skipper Rohit Sharma (47 off 31) proved to be the turning point in the game.