Former India batsman Gautam Gambhir felt India should have been “more courageous” and were not “brave enough” with the bat once Rohit Sharma was dismissed in the World Cup 2023 final against Australia.
The over 90,000 crowd at the Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad was silenced for most of India’s innings after the 10th over as the Aussies kept a lid on India’s scoring rate and boundaries with their relentless display of bowling and fielding.
But the India batters, too, made matters worse for themselves with their lack of intent. The India batters attempted only nine boundary shots from overs 11-40. After the 10th over, India hit only 4 fours, two of which came from Shami and Siraj. KL Rahul scored 66 runs in 107 balls with only one four in his knock.
Gautam Gambhir said that while Virat Kohli played the anchor role well, scoring 54 runs in 63 balls, he reckons KL Rahul and others should have gone harder at the Australian bowlers. Gambhir, India’s top-scorer in the 2011 World Cup final, opined that 240 was never going to be defendable as dew would later make batting easier for the Aussie batters.
“It’s a double-edged sword. But I have always said this, the most courageous team will go on to win the World Cup. I can understand that you need time to build a partnership but 11 to 40 overs is a very, very long time. Someone should have taken that risk,” Gautam Gambhir told Sportskeeda.
“Kohli has played a role of anchoring the innings, but the rest all should have been aggressive. KL should have gone. What harm would it have caused? We would have been 150 all out. But had we been brave, we could scored 310 and India would have been world champions. This is not the 1990s. 240 is not a good score at all. You need 300-plus totals. India were not brave enough.”
Indian bowlers made early dents and had Australia reeling at 47/3. But Travis Head counter-attacked and Marnus Labuschagne held his end as the pair sealed Australia’s 6th World Cup title.
I would have actually liked India going really aggressive: Gautam Gambhir
The two-time World Cup and IPL winner, Gambhir lamented the lack of intent and aggression from the Indian batters after the fall of Rohit Sharma’s wicket. Gautam Gambhir said this timid approach was an embodiment of India’s struggles with the bat over the years.
“I would have actually liked India going really aggressive with their top 6-7 batters even if they had been all out for 150. I would have been fine. But if you feel you can defend 240 in a World Cup final…that is not where you fight. It is either this way or that. Either we go 150 all out or 300. That is where India have lacked. That is where India have not gone on to win ICC tournaments. Rohit should have sent the message before the game that even if I get out we should go aggressive,” he added.
