India head coach Rahul Dravid has reportedly “blamed” the Ahmedabad pitch for the World Cup 2023 final loss against Australia less than a couple of weeks ago.
The BCCI officials had a meeting with Rahul Dravid a couple of days ago in Delhi to review India’s performance in the World Cup, after his contract as the head coach was extended. Skipper Rohit Sharma also joined the meeting on a video call as he is in London for a break. BCCI Secretary Jay Shah, Vice President Rajeev Shukla, and Treasurer Ashish Shelar attended the meeting with Dravid and Rohit.
Rahul Dravid blamed Ahmedabad pitch; says Indian spinners didn’t get as much turn as expected
While the BCCI was happy with Rahul Dravid for India’s 10-match winning streak, the officials wanted answers as to India’s loss in the final, where Australia bowled India out for 240 and chased it down with 6 wickets and 7 overs to spare, silencing most of the 90,000 crowd at the Narendra Modi Stadium and the billion Indians fans worldwide.
According to a report in Dainik Jagran, Rahul Dravid expressed his dissatisfaction with the Ahmedabad pitch in the final, reportedly saying that the surface didn’t turn enough as he was expecting.
The pitch for the World Cup final was a used surface, previously used in the India vs Pakistan match, which India won while chasing. The pitch in both India vs Pakistan and India vs Australia matches was difficult to bat on in the first innings, and it quickened up and got better to batting in the second innings, with the chasing side winning both these games.
It has been learned that the used pitch in the final was chosen at the suggestion of the curator, who apparently might have felt that a used surface would give more assistance to India’s spinners, Jadeja and Kuldeep. However, the duo barely got any help – though they got a couple of edges of Travis Head and Labuschagne, but there was no slip in place to take those catches – from the surface as Head and Labuschagne motored comfortably after 15 overs once dew set in.
Rahul Dravid’s contract has been renewed and he will coach the side on the upcoming tour to South Africa later this month.
