Australia has strengthened its position in the final of the World Test Championship by batting well on the first day. But even after losing the third wicket for 76 runs, how did the Kangaroo team score such a huge score, where did Team India go wrong? Let’s know what Sunil Gavaskar, Sourav Ganguly to Ravi Shastri said on Team India’s game on the first day of the final.
Australia has set a mountain of 327 runs on the first day of the World Test Championship Final (WTC Final) against India on the basis of Travis Head’s excellent century. Team India has taken 3 wickets of Australia till the end of the first day’s play, but it seems like a drop in the Bucket. After all, how did Australia manage to score such a big score even after losing the third wicket for 76 runs?
Where did India go wrong? This mistake happened during the match itself or in choosing the playing eleven before the match itself.
Let’s know what Sunil Gavaskar, Sourav Ganguly to Ravi Shastri said about India’s game on the first day of the WTC final.
In the post-match session on Star Sports, Sourav Ganguly told India’s 2 strategic shortcomings or mistakes. He said that India was in a good position by taking 3 wickets for 76 runs against Aussie. But this is where they made a mistake.
India allowed Travis Head to score easily in the beginning. That pressure of falling wicket could not be put on him, later it cost us. Ganguly considered the second mistake to keep Ravichandran Ashwin out of the playing XI.
Former captain and former BCCI President Sourav Ganguly said that see one thing is clear. You cannot ignore a team which has spinners like R Ashwin, Harbhajan Singh or Anil Kumble. You’ve got to take the gamble. The bowler who has taken more than 470 wickets will have to make a place in the team.
Sourav Ganguly said that Ashwin was needed in the final of the World Test Championship. Especially considering that Australia has 4 lefthander batters in the top order. Ashwin could have put pressure on these big-hitting batsmen.
When Ravi Shastri was asked about not choosing Ashwin in the playing XI in the same show, he said that whatever mistake happened, it happened. Forget Ashwin now! Now go ahead. Plan the game for the second day. There are still 4 days left in the match. The Test match gives a chance to make a comeback. You just have to try.
Sunil Gavaskar also questioned keeping Ashwin out of the playing XI during the commentary. He said, ‘I am surprised that Ashwin is not in the playing eleven. The Indian team has reached here (till the finals) only because of him. On this wicket, Ashwin could have been included in the team in place of Umesh Yadav.’
Former coach Lalchand Rajput also included both spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin in his playing XI a day before. But when Ashwin’s name was missing from the playing XI, Lalchand Rajput said that this decision may have been taken after looking at the pitch.
Often an extra fast bowler is included in England looking at the pitch and the weather. India has done the same in the WTC final. But Team India has to be cautious. Often having 4 fast bowlers makes up for the lack of a spinner.
