'Rohit Sharma should have not...': Sunil Gavaskar pinpoints India's match-changing moment of WC final vs AUS
Sunil Gavaskar also questioned Rohit Sharma's shot selection after India posted only 240 in the World Cup final against Australia.
Fresh from recording a perfect 10 in the 2023 edition of the ICC World Cup 2023, Rohit Sharma's Team India squared off against Australia in the final of the showpiece event on Sunday. After smashing a gigantic total in the semi-final of the World Cup against New Zealand, a lot was expected from Rohit's Team India in the summit clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium. However, Rohit and Co. put up a below-par show with the willow as the World Cup hosts posted only 240 against Pat Cummins’ Australia in the final.
Reflecting on India's batting performance against the mighty Australian side, batting legend Gavaskar observed that Rohit and Co. failed to attack Australia's ‘non-regular bowlers’ in the low-scoring encounter at the world’s largest cricket stadium. With veteran Indian opener Rohit dominating Aussie pace spearheads Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood in the powerplay, skipper Cummins brought spinner Glenn Maxwell into the attack inside the first 10 overs.
'Rohit Sharma was looking so good'
Australia's gamble paid off as Maxwell dismissed an on-song Rohit for 47 off 31 balls. According to Gavaskar, the dismissal of Indian skipper Rohit proved to be the turning point in the World Cup final. Australia's Travis Head plucked an absolute stunner to thwart Rohit's bid to score a quick-fire half-century against the five-time winners. “That could well be the turning point. Rohit Sharma was looking so good. Again that's the way he plays his game. I thought with a six and a boundary - 10 runs already in that over. Maybe he should have not gone for that shot. I know that if he had connected it and hit it for a six, we all would have stood up and applauded it. But there was always that 5th bowler that they could target. And there was no rush at that stage,” Gavaskar told Star Sports.
‘Partnership that steadied innings…’
After being reduced to 81-3 in the first 11 overs, batting icon Virat Kohli (54) and KL Rahul (66) resurrected the Indian innings with their gritty half-centuries. Rahul and Kohli also added 67 runs for the fourth wicket to put up a fight in the rematch of the 2003 final.“This was the partnership that steadied the innings but I still feel that they allowed the non-regular bowlers to get away with not too many runs. Travis Head bowled two overs for four overs, Mitchell Marsh again bowling two overs for not too many runs. So I think those were the overs. I don't think they should not have been taking any risks but I think not taking even the singles certainly, those 20-30 runs which should have been come very handy. So we have 241 instead of something 260,” Gavaskar explained.
Talking more about the match, pacer Starc emerged as the pick of the bowlers in the final of the 2003 World Cup. While Starc dismissed the likes of Shubman Gill (4), Rahul and Mohammed Shami (6), skipper Cummins removed batting icon Kohli to silence the crowd at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
