ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 Final: Team India's Ultra-Defensive Approach Puzzle Experts

The much-anticipated ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 final between India and Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday (November 19) left cricket enthusiasts puzzled and experts scratching their heads.

The ultra-defensive approach adopted by the Indian batters in the crucial middle overs of the match raised eyebrows, as the Roht Sharma-led side struggled against the disciplined Australian bowling attack.

Australian captain Pat Cummins, after winning the toss, elected to bowl first, and his decision proved to be astute as the Indian batters failed to secure a strong start within the first powerplay. The scoreboard pressure loomed large as India posted a total of 240 in 50 overs, getting all out for the first time in this World Cup.

In a game of such magnitude, the onus was on India's top-order to set the tone. Virat Kohli (54) and KL Rahul (66) emerged as the highest run-scorers for India, each scoring a fifty.

However, the rest of the batting unit faltered against the disciplined Australian bowlers. Despite getting starts, the Indian batters struggled to convert them into substantial innings and failed to form crucial partnerships.

One of the glaring issues in India's batting display was the excessive number of dot balls and the struggle to find boundaries. The pressure mounted as the batters found it challenging to rotate the strike consistently. The failure to hit boundaries and the reluctance to take singles and doubles, especially in the middle overs, left the Indian innings gasping for momentum.

Former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, renowned for his astute observations, questioned the approach of Virat Kohli and KL Rahul in the middle overs. Gavaskar emphasized the importance of rotating the strike in longer formats of the game, expressing confusion over the duo's decision to neither hit boundaries nor opt for singles and doubles.

"It is ok to take singles and doubles because of the slow nature of the pitch and fall of wickets. But even that is not happening on a regular basis. I don't understand what Virat Kohli and KL Rahul did. They didn't hit boundaries and not even went for singles and doubles," Gavaskar remarked.

Highlighting the stark contrast to the usual dynamics of One Day Internationals (ODIs), a veteran commentator pointed out, "Can't remember the last time I saw one boundary hit in 29 overs in a competitive ODI." This stark statistic underlined the struggle of the Indian batters to clear the fence during the critical middle overs.

"Only Rohit initially, and Kohli later, came to terms with the surface. It was hard work for KL Rahul and that tells you how difficult this surface is to bat on," Bhogle further wrote on his X handle.

The scrutiny on Indian batters' decision-making, shot selection, and strategic approach during this high-pressure encounter will undoubtedly fuel discussions among cricket enthusiasts and experts alike in the coming days as well if Australian batters chase down the total easily.