According to reports from The Hindustan Times, the BCCI held a review meeting, with head coach Rahul Dravid and India captain Rohit Sharma via video call, discussing India’s World Cup final loss.
Eleven days following India’s World Cup final loss to Australia, BCCI officials, including Jay Shah, Rajeev Shukla, and Ashish Shelar, held a comprehensive meeting with head coach Rahul Dravid and captain Rohit Sharma via video call. As per reports from The Hindustan Times, the meeting focused on evaluating India’s tournament performance and selecting squads for the upcoming South Africa tours (ODI, T20I, and Test), while strategizing future plans. The discussions delved into India’s unanticipated loss in the final despite their remarkable form, securing ten consecutive wins.
Dravid attributed India’s defeat to the Ahmedabad pitch’s unexpected behavior, as it didn’t offer the anticipated spin crucial to restricting Australia’s chase.
Previously used in the India-Pakistan match, the World Cup final pitch influenced India’s fate. Despite Rohit’s strong start, Kohli and Rahul faced mid-over challenges due to the pitch’s slow nature and Australia’s adept bowling. The local curator’s advice to use the same pitch for knockouts, although not an ICC mandate, impacted the game. The surface, prepared to favor spin, turned slow, hindering India’s momentum. Australia’s decision to field first paid off, anticipating an easier pitch later. India struggled, posting 240, while Australia, propelled by Travis Head’s century, overcame initial hiccups to clinch victory.
Reportedly, the BCCI officials also questioned Dravid about choosing a strategy that didn’t favor Indian seamers in the World Cup final. Dravid defended the plan, citing its success in the tournament except for the decisive match.
India’s World Cup squad and support staff were granted a break from the T20I series against Australia. They’ll regroup for the South Africa tour that includes three T20Is, three ODIs, and two Tests.
Last Updated on December 2, 2023
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