"Gave the weaker team, Australia, more ammunition" - Sanjay Manjrekar on India losing the toss in 2023 World Cup final
Sanjay Manjrekar believes Australia gained a massive advantage by winning the toss and electing to field first against India in the 2023 World Cup final in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Manjrekar reckoned that while Australia were the weaker team out of the two, they thrived as the wicket was challenging to bat on in the afternoon. Commenting on the playing conditions, Manjrekar wrote in his column for the Hindustan Times:
"India losing the toss, for me was huge factor, all of us who saw the pitch before the match felt that it just gave the weaker team, Australia, more ammunition. Let me give you an example. The rough surface meant the ball moved off the seam a little and also didn’t skid onto the bat in the afternoon. That phenomenon took care of Shreyas Iyer. Reverse swing got KL Rahul."
Although Sanjay Manjrekar suggested that the toss played a major role, it is pertinent to note that Indiam skipper Rohit Sharma revealed that he would have chosen to bat first anyway.
The 58-year-old mentioned that the 2023 World Cup final would not have been a one-sided contest if it was played on a batting-friendly surface.
"A good batting pitch and India would have managed to get over 300 and then we would have seen a better contest," Manjrekar elaborated. "This unique surface meant the toss suddenly became a game changer, and Australia made their own luck by opting to bowl first."
India were bundled out for 240 in the summit clash after being asked to bat first. It was the first time that they were bowled out in the recently concluded ODI World Cup. Australia successfully chased down the target with six wickets in hand to lift the coveted ODI World Cup trophy for the record sixth time.
"The big moment for me" - Sanjay Manjrekar on Travis Head's catch to dismiss Rohit Sharma
Australia's Travis Head provided his team with a big breakthrough by taking a spectacular catch to send back the dangerous-looking Rohit Sharma for 47.
Lauding Head for remaining calm under pressure and completing the catch, Manjrekar wrote:
"The big moment for me was when Travis Head ran the way he did, backwards, and took that Rohit catch. It was as much about great athleticism as it was great temperament and the ‘champion DNA’ that Australian cricketers tend to have. At that moment in front of around 100,000 people.
"Head was thinking nothing else, not the stage, not whose catch it was, he was just driven to do the seemingly impossible because it just needed to be done."
Majrekar concluded by saying India continue to remain the best ODI side despite India failing to win the 2023 World Cup final.
"To put it simply, the 10/10 India was beaten by the conditions first and then by a team who when it mattered, had individuals who dug deep to find the champion within," Manjrekar signed off. "I believe India are still the best 50 overs team in the world, just that they don’t have the World Cup to show for it."
India came into the final on the back of a stunning 10-match unbeaten streak in the showpiece event. They suffered their maiden defeat in the most important clash of the tournament to lose the trophy to Australia.