In the aftermath of their World Cup final loss on Sunday, the somber atmosphere in the Indian dressing room took an unexpected turn with the arrival of an unanticipated guest.
Prime Minister Narendra D Modi, having presented the winners' trophy to Australian skipper Pat Cummins, consoled and encouraged Captain Rohit Sharma and the disheartened team led by Coach Rahul Dravid.
Criticism surfaced as a video of Modi providing words of encouragement and motivation to the players within the dressing room went viral on social media.
Former head coach Ravi Shastri -- who was part of the commentary team for the World Cup -- commended Modi's visit to the Indian dressing room.
'I think it's an outstanding thing simply because I know what a dressing room feels like, and I have been in that dressing room for more than seven years as the coach of India, apart from many years as a cricketer,' Shastri said. 'It is a gut-wrenching feeling, and when you are down, then you seem that you are out.'
'When you get someone like the prime minister of the country coming and visiting the dressing room, it is something massive because it can lift the spirits of the players. This is no ordinary man walking in,' Shastri added.
'When you have the prime minister of a country walking into the dressing room, it is special. I know what the players would have felt like; I know what I would have felt like if I was the coach of India.'
