Suresh Raina reveals what proved the difference in World Cup final

Cummins made a bold call at the toss when he sent India into bat first and the move paid dividends as Australia restricted the tournament hosts to a modest total of 240 and eased to a six-wicket triumph on the back of a brilliant century from opener Travis Head.

But it wasn't just the decision at the toss that stood out for Raina, with the India great impressed by the way Cummins rotated his bowlers and the tactics the Australia captain used against his opponents.

"What swung the game in Australia’s favour was Pat Cummins’ captaincy," Raina, a Cricket World Cup winner for India in 2011, said in his column for the ICC.

"The way he brought Glenn Maxwell in to the attack to get the wicket of Rohit Sharma with a brilliant catch from Travis Head was very smart.

"Adam Zampa was great too, as was Cummins himself in dismissing Virat Kohli.

"They outplayed India and were very solid in their planning."

Australia's bowlers received plenty of support in the field too, with their catching in the outfield a highlight and the many runs saved by diving and outstretched bodies also a standout for Raina.

"Another big factor was Australia’s fielding, I think they saved 30 to 40 runs," Raina noted.

"From ball one, they were saving a lot of singles and boundaries. There was Travis’ catch and some excellent work in the deep from David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne.

"I think Cummins showed real temperament in his captaincy. He changed his bowlers knowing he could put pressure on each India batter even though they were all in such good form. His tactics made all the difference, and his planning and execution was perfect."

The victory was Australia's sixth in the history of the 50-over World Cup, while India remains with just two World Cup triumphs following previous successes in 1983 in England and on home soil in 2011.

While many were left disappointed that India couldn’t add another ICC title to their trophy cabinet, Raina was buoyed by the performance of his former side and believes they can make amends at the next edition of the tournament in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia in 2027.

"We will see the Indian team doing well again because they know how to reach the latter stages of tournaments now," Raina said.

"It just takes a bit of time to understand how to manage those pressure situations, especially when you’re at home.

"Sometimes when there’s a lot of pressure you can lose your focus, and I think that’s a lesson they will learn from this."