Due to poor batting performance & less competitive bowling performance in the first innings, India again lost an important ICC event. WTC 2023 Final was no less than a nightmare for the Indians as they failed to clinch WTC mace after qualifying for the final. Since the loss, the entire Indian team has faced backlashes for their poor bowling show in the first innings & incompetent batting show in the second innings.
Rohit Sharma & Co-opted to bowl in the overcast conditions which was termed as a major setback for them. Australia capitalized on the conditions & put up a mammoth total of 469 runs on board. Later India failed to choose appropriate shots & ended up easily losing their wickets to the opponents.
Rahul Dravid opened up on India’s WTC Final loss
After much controversy finally, India’s head Coach Rahul Dravid has opened up about their poor show at the Oval in London which led to their loss in the crucial clash. According to the head coach Rahul Dravid India’s poor approach with the ball on day 1 & Travis Head’s scintillating ton in the first innings changed the fixture in their favor.
“Yeah, it was difficult. We have seen that we keep fighting no matter how far we are as per the situation. We have fought and made comebacks in the past. We gave a good fight in two days. We needed a brilliant, exceptional performance,” Dravid told on Star Sports.
“It was not a 469 runs wicket. I feel the runs we have leaked to the lower middle order, that is a thing. We knew what line and length we had to bowl; we didn’t bowl the right line. We gave away room to Travis Head who capitalized. I feel, in that stage, we went behind. Maybe, in the second innings, we could have been careful while playing a few shots,” he added.
Travis Head broke all the shackles to register his maiden WTC Century
Travis Head was all blazing guns as he helped Australia to post a commanding total against India during the first innings. His knock came when Australia was in a dire situation with David Warner, Usman Khawaja & Marnus Labuschagne losing their wickets cheaply on Day 1. Travis’s stunning knock included 25 fours & a stunning 163-run knock in 174 deliveries. He also combined a 285-run stand with Steve Smith which kept Australia in the driver’s seat. Further, Travis Head was also termed as the ‘Player of the Match’ for his crucial knock in the WTC Final win at the Oval. In the process, Australia became the first side to clinch all ICC titles across the three formats of the sport.
Also read, BCCI Shares ODI World Cup Draft Schedule With ICC
