Head coach Rahul Dravid was not impressed when he was asked if India batters played with fear in the World Cup 2023 final on a 'very dry' pitch at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, saying that it was the conditions and the wickets that fell in clusters that influenced their approach with the bat on Sunday, November 19.

"I won't agree that we played with fear in this tournament. We scored 80 runs in the first 10 overs in the final. We lost wickets, when you lose wickets, you have to change your strategy and tactics, at times. But, we have shown in the whole tournament. Even in the game against England, after we lost a few early wickets, we played in a different way. We start on the front foot but you have to take a backward step at times. Even in this final, we didn't play with fear," Rahul Dravid told the press in Ahmedabad, adding that the morale in the dressing room was down and the players were filled with emotions.