London: Australia have made a strong start in the final of the World Test Championship (WTC). The team scored 327 runs on the very first day and they have 7 wickets left. The pair of Travis Head and Steve Smith is unbeaten with a partnership of 251 runs. The Kangaroo team has set the platform to cross 500+ scores.
Indian bowlers got good swing for the first few overs after the toss. Then the sky was cloudy in London. In such a situation, there was moisture in the pitch, which was helping in the swing. Team India took advantage of this and took 3 wickets.
Mood of pitch changed in afternoon
By the afternoon, the sun shone and the humidity decreased. In such a situation, the mood of the pitch also changed with the weather. From the second session, the ball was swinging less in the pitch. After taking 3 wickets in the opening 25 overs, our bowlers could not take a single wicket till 60 overs. It is clear that we did not have bowlers capable of taking wickets on a flat pitch.
The strategy of the Indian captain and bowlers was also weak. The fast bowlers initially bowled on good length and took wickets, but after the wicket of Marnus Labuschagne, our bowlers could not put pressure on Travis Head.
Our bowlers bowled fewer short balls to Head
Head gets out early to the short ball, but the bowlers bowled him fewer short of short pitched deliveries in the beginning. He was bowled fuller and good length balls, on which he played attacking shots and quickly reached the score of 90 runs. By the time the bowlers made bouncer attack on Head, he was already well settled. If bouncers were bowled in the initial overs, there would have been better chances of claiming wicket.
Captain Rohit could not understand the strategy of Smith and Head. After the fall of the top-3 wickets, Smith was batting on one side, while Head scored fast.
We'll have to take quick wickets on Day 2
If the Indian team has to stay in the match, they will have to take wickets from the first session on the second day itself. Siraj and Shami will have to attack on the second day as well, as both of them bowled 39 overs on the first day and took 2 wickets for 144 runs. Apart from them, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur and Umesh Yadav together could take only one wicket for 177 runs in 46 overs.
If Australia crosses 450-run mark Team India will be in pressure
In such a situation, it is necessary that both the main bowlers of the team, Shami and Siraj, take wickets by putting pressure on the Australian batters. If Team India is not able to create pressure in the first session, then again in the last 2 sessions it would be easy for the Kangaroos to bat. In such a situation, the Australian team will cross the 450-run mark and put Team India under pressure.
After dismissing Australia, it is necessary for the top order of the team to score big for India to return. Not only this, our batsmen have to ensure that the team does not suffer initial setbacks.
Non inclusion of Ravichandran Ashwin in team was a mistake
Rohit Sharma landed in the final match with a bowling combination of four fast bowlers and a spinner. Ravindra Jadeja was given preference in the team instead of specialist spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. Ashwin could have been given a chance as there are 5 left hander batsmen in the Australian team. Jadeja's left arm spin was not effective.
Ashwin has dismissed left-handed batsmen 241 times, while he has also taken wickets of right-handed batsmen 233 times. Jadeja, on the other hand, has dismissed right-handed batsmen 174 times and left-handed batsmen 90 times.
Veteran Sunil Gavaskar also said after the announcement of playing-11 that Ashwin should have been given a chance as there are 5 left hand batsmen, but Jadeja got priority due to his batting.
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