What happened to India in the World Cup final?

Rohit Sharma, the Indian team captain, following the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup India 2023 Final between India and Australia on November 19, in Ahmedabad, India. Getty Images

With reference to Chitrabhanu Kadalayil's op-ed If India can work the way its cricket team does, the future is bright (November 21): The analysis was well thought out. He elaborately detailed how the Indian team reached this stage and how they twice earlier won the World Cup (1983, 2011) and how they just missed it this time. Indian fans everywhere were shattered. After all, the team was playing so well and this was the first match in the tournament that they lost. It's important to bear in mind, however, that victory itself does not determine a team’s talents and effort put in over the past months and years.

Naturally there were mixed analyses on the defeat and causes for the loss. Still, the team did their best. It's just that on the day of the match, the performance fell short and Australia was the better team. Comparing the sport in India to the country's future progress was especially insightful of the writer.

India has gained cricketing momentum that no one can deny. Notably, the Indian Prime Minister visited the players and consoled them at the end. Perhaps the message was that victory or defeat alone don't accurately measure a team's worth.

K Ragavan, Bengaluru, India

Australia just proved that they're the best cricket team in the world.

Waqas Bin Fateh, Dubai

It can be argued that cricket is as much business as a game in India. Australia was playing the sport of cricket and the better athletes won the final game. India began to give the game away midway and lost their competitive edge completely.

Oswald Jenkins, Toronto, Canada

Tories in trouble with the voters

With regard to Matthew Davies's report Autumn Statement 2023: How it changes the UK economy (November 21): Yesterday a cake cost £1. Today it cost £2, a 100 per cent increase. Tomorrow it'll cost £3, a 50 per cent increase. Tories: "We've halved inflation". It appears this is how the Tories are gaslighting us.

Jason Godden, Surrey, UK

Obama's racist former adviser

With reference to Jamie Goodwin's piece Former Obama adviser says killing of 4,000 Palestinian children 'wasn’t enough' (November 22): Shame on him for spewing such hate. What did the street food seller ever do to him in any case? It was just an opportunity to exhibit the racism he felt and the things he really believed.

Chuck McNamara , Roanoke, Virginia, US

I'd like to hear what Piers Morgan thinks about this gentleman and his views. Perhaps he could have him on his show to delve deeper into the workings of his Islamophobic mind.

Sliman Baych, Sidi Ifni, Morocco

This from a former deputy director of the US Office of Israel and Palestinian Affairs. Hundreds more children, women and newborns could continue to perish under a merciless attack endorsed by his American friends.

Nabil Medmoun, Ilfrane, Morocco

Anyone who saw the video can tell that Stuart Seldowitz only said what he truly believes in his heart. Once the video went viral, face saving was needed. It's convenient that he now claims to regret what he said.

Ali Chaker, Sydney, Australia