Four days since India lost to Australia in World Test Championship final, the reactions from that 209-run thrashing continue.
The criticism from around cricket is largely fair. India have missed eight chances to win an ICC trophy since the 2013 Champions Trophy, including two WTC finals. It is a mystery why a team with the greatest match-winners has failed to win a major competition.
The most recent criticism for India’s performance came from legendary West Indies pacer Andy Roberts, who claims that the team is arrogant and over-confident. Roberts, arguably the greatest fast bowler of his time and a member of the renowned Windies pace quartet, reckons India need to get their priorities straight.
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“There is this arrogance which has crept into Indian cricket and through this, India have underestimated the rest of the world. India must decide what their focus is—Test cricket or limited overs cricket. T20 cricket will run its course. There is no contest between bat and ball there,” Roberts, told Mid-Day.
“I expected India to show their batting strength. I saw no bright spot in the final although Ajinkya Rahane fought hard; got hit on his hand. Shubman Gill looks good when he plays those shots, but he stands on leg stump and is often dismissed bowled or caught behind. He has good hands, but he must get behind the ball. Virat Kohli, though, got a brute of a delivery from Mitchell Starc in the first innings. India have some very good players mind you, but they have not performed creditably away from home.”
Before this, it has been a pattern of missed chances for India. The Champions Trophy final of 2017, the 2019 World Cup semi-final, the WTC final of 2021 and the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia – it has been a pattern detrimental to the team’s chances.
Roberts said there was no chance India could chase down the 444-run total – to record the highest fourth innings total. “I harboured no such hopes. I knew they would collapse. The batting in both innings was bad,” he added.
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With the win, Australia made history by becoming the first team to clinch all major ICC trophies. Australia have won a total of five ICC Cricket World Cup titles, the most by any team.
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