Takeaways from India’s WTC Final Loss

Even as Rohit Sharma and co. get heat for their big defeat, it is important for us to understand the takeaways from India’s WTC final loss and analyse them carefully. Australia completely dominated team India throughout the test match, except for a few instances when players like Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, and Mohammad Siraj tried to fight back. Their morale was visibly low, and they simply could not overcome the pressure put on them by the outstanding all-round performance of the Aussies. Let’s have a look at the major takeaways from India’s WTC Final loss.  

Takeaways from India’s WTC Final Loss  

Team India looked ill-prepared out on the field despite having won the toss and getting early wickets in the first innings. The brilliant innings by Travis Head and Steve Smith already put India on the back foot, and the batsmen simply could not bat freely under pressure in their response. The first innings by both teams themselves highlight some of the key facts. It was a big mistake to leave the top-ranking test bowler, Ravichandran Ashwin, out of the playing XI of the most important test match of all. Granted that the pitch was a paradise for pacers, one simply cannot overlook a player like Ashwin.  

The selectors also need to relook Cheteshwar Pujara’s presence in the team. He is in the team as a test specialist and has no other pressure of performing in ODIs, T20Is, and the IPL. He performed poorly in both innings and has no excuse to hide behind on. The entire batting side has struggled as a whole, except for the seasoned Ajinkya Rahane, who was also dropped from the test for the longest time before suddenly bringing him back on the pitch right in the WTC final. The team management has also thus done sloppy work, which needs to be changed.  

Along with Ashwin, it is also a mystery why they did not play the experienced Ishant Sharma and Bhuvaneshwar Kumar. Umesh Yadav was highly ineffective and did not make any major transition to the team, despite playing at a pacer’s pitch. While Siraj and Shami put up a commendable effort, it was not nearly enough to stop Aussie batsmen. India needs to think carefully before selecting their long-term test XI and give them enough time and experience to settle into this format, as skipper Rohit Sharma hinted at not getting enough time to prepare in this match.  

Last but not least, one of the most important takeaways from India’s WTC Final loss is how forcing Virat Kohli out of captaincy has affected the entire team. Rohit Sharma has done exceptionally well as an IPL captain, but it won’t be unfair to say that his captaincy has been mediocre at best, especially in high-profile games. They failed miserably in the T20 World Cup, haven’t registered big wins in ODIs, and eventually failed in this match as well. While they have obviously done well to reach the finals in the first place, the Indian team under Rohit Sharma has been way out of touch. It is time to consider bringing Virat back as the captain, at least in Tests. 

Image source: AP