It was the correct choice to make at the right time for India to win the toss and choose to bowl in the final of the World Test Championship versus Australia on June 7 at the Oval in London.
The match was for the World Test Championship. The actions of Australia would not have differed. At Stumps on the first day of the match, with Australia at 327/3, the old question began to ring bells: were India going to lose another ICC quarterfinal match? With the benefit of hindsight, the solution is clear.
It was not a coincidence that India reached both of the Test finals in 2021 and 2023. They succeeded due to their own merit. They were victorious in their own countries over Australia, England, and South Africa. They staged comebacks to demonstrate to both their followers and their adversaries that they are not easily defeated.
The Indian Premier League was not a factor in this. In the year 2023, India did not have enough time to adjust in between the Indian Premier League final and the Test championship. They had a fair amount of time to adjust by the year 2021. But they were unsuccessful in both of the finals.
Where did India’s success go to waste?
A fascinating trend emerges when comparing the scorecards from the two finals. Both times, it seemed like we had virtually exactly the same squad. Both finals included Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Rohit Sharma, and Shubhman Gil. Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, and Ajinkya Rahane also participated.
The first issue for India was that their top-order batsmen were unable to provide their bowlers with anything for them to defend in either of the two finals.
The Indian team’s failure to recover in the second innings was their defining moment. In 2021, India lost Kohli at 3/71. The squad was eliminated in the semifinal round with a score of 170. In the year 2023, India went into the fourth day of their match at 164/3 after losing Pujara at the score of 3/93. The last morning is now a thing of the past. Another disastrous second inning, followed by a defeat in the championship game.
Do you think India went about Day 5 with the incorrect strategy? Both yes and no.
The ball was still in playable condition for batting. The run rate for India wasn’t all that horrible. It was feasible to continue the pursuit of the objective. This is perhaps where India went wrong with their strategy. They got an early start in their pursuit of the objective.
Day 5 was going to be decided by India. India needs to be patient and play the game to its full potential. The farther India had the ability to travel, the greater the likelihood of a draw being a reality. India and Australia each have a legitimate shot at winning the title on their own. In the past, an ICC trophy was split between two teams. India and Sri Lanka both took home a portion of the Champions Trophy in the year 2002.
The act of chasing was the cricketing equivalent of the cardinal sin, and India committed it. The air was finally allowed to Australia by India. The only thing stopping Australia from making a comeback in tests is their inability to breathe.
What options does India have now?
It is time for India to compete again in the Ranji Trophy. From that region, all of their most accomplished players in the Tests have emerged. India has to conduct a thorough investigation into the reasons behind their second-innings collapse in both of the championship matches.
A justification based on the month of June is not going to cut it. The last time India triumphed in an ICC tournament was in 2013, when they defeated England to take home the Champions Trophy in England and Wales. When Kapil Dev’s side defeated the West Indies on June 25, 1983, it was the first time India had won an ICC Trophy. The match took place once again in England and Wales.
When it comes to athletics, the grandeur of a country is found in the silverware it hoards. The lack of production of new silverware in India will soon bring the country into its second decade. It is time for India to inquire as to what causes the problems.