Rahul Dravid delivers crucial pep-talk as Rohit, Kohli return for first time since WC final heartbreak with SA Tests

Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah will be among the players returning to Team India for the first time since the final defeat at 2023 World Cup

It has been over a month since India's heartbreaking defeat in the 2023 World Cup final against Australia, and coach Rahul Dravid has insisted that players have moved on from the painful loss in Ahmedabad. India had enjoyed an invincible run in the campaign until the final, where it faced a six-wicket defeat as the 10-year wait for an ICC trophy extended further for the men in blue. Two of India's batting stalwarts in the World Cup final squad – captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli – had since been away from international action and will make their return in the Test series against South Africa.

Virat Kohli with coach Rahul Dravid during a practice session ahead of the first Test cricket match between India and South Africa (PTI)

Since being part of that fateful November 19 at Ahmedabad, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj and Shreyas Iyer had appeared in a few white-ball games, but the rest – including Jasprit Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin – will be returning to squad for the first time in five weeks. Dravid detailed how Rohit Sharma’s men coped with the heartbreaking World Cup final defeat to Australia.

“It was heartbreaking but you have to move on quickly in international cricket as we now have another important series coming up and all these series count towards trying to qualify for another ICC event in 2025 (WTC final),” Dravid said on Sunday.

“You don’t really have time to remain down. You have to pick yourself up and move on and the boys have done that really well,” he said, adding that spirit in camp “has been superb”.

“While there was disappointment but we have all moved on from it, we have to see what’s in-front of us. I thought ODI team did really well to win that series in which lot of main South African batters played”

“Players are very good at moving on as we are forced to do that from the time you are kids. You get out and you can’t let that disappointment stay with you for too long. It will affect your performance in the next game,” said the veteran of 164 Tests and 344 ODIs.

Since the final, India defeated Australia 4-1 in the T20I series where Suryakumar Yadav led the side. The team, then, embarked on a tour of South Africa where Suryakumar continued to lead the T20I team, with the series ending in a 1-1 draw. KL Rahul captained the ODI side to a 2-1 win.