(Image Source: X)
[Saba Sports News] India participated in the 2023 ODI World Cup, only to be bested by Australia in the final, losing by six wickets. The event garnered immense global interest, evident from the extensive media presence at various tournament stages. Contrasting this, Suryakumar Yadav, India’s captain for the forthcoming T20I series against Australia commencing on November 23 in Visakhapatnam, encountered merely two media representatives at the pre-series press conference, a situation that surprised him.
Esteemed Indian sports journalist Vimal Kumar raised concerns over this drastic decline in press conference attendance in India. His statement on X (previously Twitter) highlighted the stark difference: “From around 200 media members during the World Cup to just two at a press conference in India is remarkable! SKY likely didn’t anticipate this in his first captain’s press conference. Could this be a record for the least attended press conference in India? It seems so.”
Reflecting on the ODI World Cup, India put up a strong fight but was ultimately overpowered by Australia in the final. India set a target of 241 runs, which Australia chased down with relative ease, buoyed by Travis Head’s impressive 137 off 120 balls in the high-stakes final.
Addressing the World Cup defeat, SuryaKUMAR acknowledged the disappointment but also emphasized the Indian team’s commendable performance throughout the tournament.
“Naturally, it’s a bit disappointing. But looking back at the entire campaign, it was quite remarkable. The whole country, not just the players, felt proud of our on-field display. We’re proud of the cricketing style we maintained throughout,” he remarked.
When questioned about the team’s quick return to the field after their World Cup loss, he admitted the challenge but stressed the need to move forward. “It’s tough and will take time to move past it. You can’t just wake up the next day and forget everything. It was a lengthy tournament, and of course, we wished for a win. But now, we need to focus on the future. With a refreshed team and new energy, we’re eager to start this series,” he added.