Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly took an indirect jibe at the Indian top order, including Virat Kohli, after an inspirational fightback from Ajinkya Rahane and Shardul Thakur in India’s first innings in the WTC Final 2023 against Australia.
In reply to Australia’s 469, the Indian top order couldn’t stand up against the relentlessness of the Australian bowlers and the Asian giants were in tatters at 71/4 which then became 152/6. However, a fighting partnership between comeback man Ajinkya Rahane and tailender Shardul Thakur kept India alive in the contest and helped India avoid the follow-on.
Taking India from 152/6, Thakur and Rahane conjured up a terrific stand of 109 runs in 145 balls with both the batters playing some attacking, counter-punching strokes. After Rahane’s dismissal for 89 runs, Shardul brought up his half-century.
Thakur was eventually dismissed by Cameron Green for 51 off 109 balls, scored with the help of 6 fours. Thakur and Rahane‘s runs helped India avoid the follow-on, which will push the match into the fourth innings as well, giving India a chance with some luck of rain gods to escape with a draw.
Are Sourav Ganguly and Virat Kohli still in a strife?
Part of the Star Sports panel for this one-off WTC Final Test, Sourav Ganguly took an indirect swipe at the top order batters, saying that Ajinkya Rahane’s knock should be shown to the likes of Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, and Virat Kohli.
“They showed it to the dressing room that if you apply and have a little bit of luck then you will be able to score runs on this wicket. Credit to Rahane, he was magnificent. Shardul got battered and bruised early on but he hung in there. He has batted well in the past in England and Australia. It’s a good fightback from India. This is a message to the top order,” the former Indian skipper said in the post-lunch show on Star Sports.
India were bowled out for 296 runs and conceded a lead of 173 runs
