‘That’s What a Real Leader Is… Everybody Felt Great’: Ex-Coach Recalls PM Modi’s Visit After ODI WC Final Heartbreak

No matter how many trophies the Indian Cricket Team wins in the coming days, the setback of getting beaten by Australia in the ODI World Cup 2023 at home shall persist forever. The Rohit Sharma-led side was unbeaten in the entire tournament until it suffered a massive heartbreak in Ahmedabad. It was a tough day for the Indians at the office as they were bowled out for 240. In reply, Travis Head scored a match-winning hundred to help Australia lift a 6^th World Cup title.

It was a serious dressing room after losing the World Cup final. Some had tears in their eyes while the others were just numb, trying to process the turn of events. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a surprise visit to the dressing room and spoke to the players.

The video of PM Modi’s visit had set the internet on fire. Months after the incident, former batting coach Vikram Rathour recalled how the words of motivation from the Indian Prime Minister lifted up the players in the dressing room.

“That’s [the vibe] something extraordinary. That’s what a real leader is. The dressing room was very serious after losing the final. Everybody was low and down and suddenly he walked in. At least, I didn’t know he was coming. So everybody stood up, and the way he spoke to the team and assured them that ‘You all played very well. It’s okay if you lost one game. We are all proud of you’. That kind of a message lifts you up and it did, actually. Everybody in the dressing room felt great,” Rathour told former domestic cricketer Taruvar Kohli on the latter’s YouTube channel.

The former India batting coach revealed that the team was in terrific form and the winning streak gave them confidence to do something special in the end. But the conclusion of the World Cup left them completely shattered.

“The atmosphere was great while we were winning. The crowd was terrific as well. They supported us throughout the tournament.  I had never seen so many people turning up in blue. Wherever we went they were there. In fact, they turned up at the hotels on match days at 8 AM in the morning. It was something hadn’t seen before,” Rathour said.

“The atmosphere was such that we felt we were going to do something special this World Cup. The way the team was responding to that… we had just won the Asia Cup as well. Everything seemed right. But from there, not being able to finish on the winning side was heartbreaking,” he added.