TV
Though hosts India were outright favourites against Australia in the final of the recently-concluded ODI World Cup 2023, they lost the all-important match by six wickets.
Several experts have analysed the game in different angles on why India lost the match. Former India opener Gautam Gambhir and former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram have pointed out a fresh angle. Both the former greats slammed one of captain Rohit Sharma’s crucial moves in the final against Australia.
After the wicket of Virat Kohli, explosive Suryakumar Yadav was supposed to walk in at No. 6. However, the team management backed a left-handed batter in Ravindra Jadeja to go ahead of India’s Mr 360 degree batsman Suryakumar. Both Gambhir and Akram admitted that they were left surprised at the move.
“I didn’t understand why Jadeja was sent ahead of Suryakumar. Why was he demoted to No. 7? That was nowhere the right call for me,” said Gambhir during an interview.
The former southpaw also felt had Suryakumar been sent at No. 6 he could have gone about with his natural aggressive cricket rather than go on a defensive mode knowing that there are no batters left in the line-up.
“I mean Suryakumar is playing purely as a batter there. I could have understood the move if Hardik was there in the line-up,” said Akram.
