‘Today’s cricketers, sorry they couldn’t…’: Kapil Dev opens up on wounds of India’s World Cup 2023 defeat

The World Cup final defeat will pinch but Kapil Dev has insisted Indian players to move on and on to better and bigger goals.

Five days removed from India’s loss to Australia in the World Cup 2023 final, and not much has changed. Players are sharing their heartbreaks on social media, which is only making it that tough for the fans to move on. India’s win over Australia in the first T20I on Thursday night was some relief but nothing, and we mean, nothing can compensate for the missed World Cup winning opportunity.

As the entire nation tries to move on from last Sunday’s outcome – many have managed to – the legendary Kapil Dev expects nothing less. What’s done is done. Yes, India couldn’t lay their hands of the World Cup and its disappointment is going to linger on for a while, but one bad game doesn’t make them a bad team. For six weeks they have enthralled us with countless memories which has secured a special place in many a heart.

“Remember that you have to move on in life. Another thing I’ve learnt over a period of time is to never talk about your time. We have moved on. We are not good enough. The young people are much better than us. The only thing we have – we have experience to guide them in the right direction. They are far better, but we can guide them better, that’s all,” Kapil, the first India captain to win a World Cup back in 1983, was quoted as saying by Sportstar during a book launch.

In the last 10 years of India’s ICC title drought, this was perhaps the best hands-on chance to end the wait. A World Cup, at home… 12 years since MS Dhoni and his team fulfilled the dream in 2011, and an unbeaten run up to the final. The stars were aligned for Rohit Sharma and his team of winners to finish the story, but alas, fate had other plans. As some of those players try and come to terms with it – and it is going to take a while – Kapil has urged them to realise the brand of cricket they have played and a billion people they have made proud.

“Today’s cricketers, sorry they couldn’t win the World Cup, but they played well. I know in our mind, winning is everything. But the way of play is more important. Other people had also come here to play. Other people played better (on the) last day. We should respect that. I’m disappointed and disheartened that they played so well and yet they couldn’t win the trophy. But (it) doesn’t matter. Let’s hope what we didn’t understand this time, we’ll learn and do it better. That’s the way we are,” said the former India captain.