Srinagar: India ace spinner Ravi Ashwin has explained how Australia tactical masterstroke outclassed hosts India in the final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 in Ahmedabad.
Australia surprised many by choosing to bowl first in the final showdown but justified their decision with an outstanding performance.
“Australia were tactically outstanding in the final. I was shell-shocked to see their tactics during the final. Cummins was struggling in ODIs leading upto the World Cup, but the last 4-5 matches of the World Cup, almost 50 percent of his balls were cutters,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
“In the final, Cummins had a 4-5 field like an off-spinner does. He bowled only three balls over 6-meter mark in his entire 10 over spell, he did not bowl full enough for the batters to get under or drive,” he added.
Australia restricted India to just 240, which they hunted down in just 43 overs to win their sixth ODI World Cup title.
“I asked George Bailey why they did not opt to bat first during the mid-inning break” – R Ashwin on Australia’s impeccable pitch reading.
Describing how the Australians relied on their experience from playing in the IPL and bilateral series in the subcontinent for years.
“Australia has deceived me personally. I expected them to bat first and score big like they do in the finals. The soil in Ahmedabad was like Orissa, there will not be much bounce, but the soil will not disintegrate because the clay does not release the moisture, it holds it,” Ashwin pointed out.
“When I was checking the pitch during the mid-innings break, I asked George Bailey why they did not opt to bat first. He said that they have played a lot of IPL and bilateral series here, in their experience, the red soil disintegrates while the black soil gets better to bat on under the lights,” he added.