India vs Australia, World Cup 2023 Final: Shubman Gill joins Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar in woeful Finals record

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India are playing the ODI World Cup Final for the fourth time in their history. The men in blue are up against Australia in the World Cup 2023 grand finale today at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

In the previous three finals, India have ended up winning the World Cup twice, in 1983 and 2011. It was only in 2003 when the Indian team failed to win the final, and incidentally, their opposition was Australia at that time.

But despite the contrasting outcomes for the Indian team, one thing which has remained constant in India's performance is the struggle for one of their opening batters in all of these four finals.

Previously in the three finals, at least one of the opening batters got dismissed in a single-digit score. And that woeful record has continued in this edition as well, courtesy of Shubman Gill.

India Opener's Woeful Record in World Cup Finals

It is not often Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar can be associated with a humbling record. But Shubman Gill will now sit along with the Indian legends with this piece of disappointing trivia.

In the 1983 World Cup, Sunil Gavaskar departed for just 2 runs, and in the 2003 World Cup, it was Sachin Tendulkar who was dismissed for just 4 runs. Virender Sehwag was the guilty party in the World Cup 2011, and it is Shubman Gill this time as the opener had to take an early shower after just 4 runs in the Final.

And remarkably, all of the other opening partners have scored in double digits. Also, this is the first time, an opening batting partnership for India went into double digits. In all of the previous occasions, the first wicket always fell before India reaching double-digit scores.

India Opening Partnership and Openers in World Cup Finals