Rahul Dravid: India has to play very well at the World Cup

India’s 3-2 series defeat to Australia in ODIs is a “good balancing factor” ahead of the World Cup, says the former India captain.

File Photo: The World Cup is going to be competitive, says Rahul Dravid.

Former India captain and the present coach of the India A and under-19 teams, Rahul Dravid believes that there is nothing to be alarmed about the outcome of the recent one-day series against Australia.

India had taken a 2-0 lead in the ODI series before losing the next three contests — in Ranchi, Mohali, and New Delhi — to go down 3-2 . India had been defeated in the Twenty20 series, too, by a 2-0 margin.

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After unveiling ESPNCricinfo’s new product Superstats around three specific segments like Luck Index, Forecaster and Smart Stats, Dravid said: “In a way I think it (3-2 defeat to Australia) is a good balancing factor. India has performed well in the last couple of years. There was a little bit of talk that we are almost going to walk in there and win the World Cup very easily because we are the No. 1 team and we have been dominating one-day cricket for two years.”

Nothing strange

Dravid added: “I don’t find anything strange from my perspective watching the series [between India and Australia]. I still feel that we are still going to be one of the favourites. But it’s going to be tough, it’s going to be competitive. I think there was a bit of notion that we are going to walk there and win the World Cup. So it’s a good thing that has happened. What it has (the outcome against Australia) reminded us is that we have to play the World Cup very very well.”