In the ODI World Cup 2023 final against Australia, former India batting coach Vikram Rathour refuted claims that they used a doctored pitch.

Notably, following India's defeat by Australia in the tournament final, the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad's strip came under scrutiny. Australia outperformed Team India in the World Cup 2023 final, despite their 10-match winning run.

Indian batsmen were asked to bat first, but they could not get going on a slow pitch, managing only 240/10 in 50 overs. With seven overs remaining, the Australians chased down the target easily.

The pitch used for the final was heavily criticized by fans after India's unexpected defeat, with captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid being criticized for choosing a sluggish surface. In response to questions about whether or not the team management used a doctored pitch, Vikram Rathour has finally commented. He stated that while they had anticipated the surface to get slower as the game went on, it actually got better for batting.

“I’ve heard this story that the pitch was different, which I don’t agree with at all. In the final, the pitch improved as the game progressed; we expected it to get slower, which it didn’t, so why did that happen? Yes, we could have scored more runs. There are so many ifs and buts, but one thing is sure: you need a little luck to win a tournament. And that day, Australia were luckier than us. They played better cricket than us. And that’s the reason they won,” Rathour told Sportstar.