Australia vs India, Final: Former Australia captain Steve Waugh said that India made a huge mistake by leaving out Ravichandran Ashwin from the playing XI for the World Test Championship (WTC) final at The Oval. He would have picked Ashwin just for his batting, let alone his superb bowling skills.
In the final match of the World Test Championship, veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was not given a place in the playing XI by captain Rohit Sharma as he decided to go with four fast bowlers.
Ashwin’s exclusion from the playing XI has led to severe criticism of the Indian team from former cricketers from both the countries, with former Australian captain Steve Waugh being the latest to join the ranks. He said, “I think (India) has chosen the wrong side.”
Waugh told The West Australian on Friday, “Spin will play a big part in this Test match. I would have picked Ashwin for his batting, let alone his bowling. That’s why I can’t believe he’s not playing.” , because he has also scored five Test hundreds. It is very strange.”
Similar views were also expressed by former Australian spinner Brad Hogg. Hogg said, “India made a decision and they should have given Ashwin every wicket they got, they have just come out of the IPL and have gone in with four fast bowlers who haven’t bowled long spells.”
He further said, “Ashwin and Jadeja could have held one end and taken the pressure off the fast bowlers at the other end when they ran out of energy.”
Waugh was also critical of India’s decision to bowl first, recalling how Australia made a similar error in the fifth Ashes Test at The Oval in 2019. In that match, England won by 145 runs after then-captain Tim Paine bowled first.
“We made the same mistake four years ago in the Ashes. The Oval is always difficult. It looks green on top, but underneath it is sloppy and a bit dry. You enjoy the cloudy sky and the green pitch,” he said. Can go in and think it’s going to do it all. Then as soon as the sun comes out it completely falls apart and dries quickly.”
