India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin hailed Australia on Thursday, stating that their tactics during the 2023 World Cup final in Ahmedabad left him impressed. Ashwin revealed that he dearly wanted the tourists to bat first, given he knew the nature of soil on the Ahmedabad track.
The seasoned off-spinner revealed he was shell-shocked by Australia's decision to bowl first in the final last Sunday, but also praised Pat Cummins and selector George Bailey for reading the pitch at Ahmedabad perfectly.
"Australia were practically outstanding in the final. I was shell-shocked to see their tactics. Australia has deceived me personally, as their history goes by, they say 'we are going to have a bat, mate!' after winning the toss in the big finals," Ashwin said in his latest YouTube video on Thursday.
"I was praying to the lord that Australia should do that, because many people do not understand that the soil in Ahmedabad was like Odisha's, as in, it played like how any soil taken from the eastern part of the country would play — if every pitch gets bounce until the knee, this would get bounce only up to the shin," he said.
"The bounce will be less, but the soil won't disintegrate because the clay does not release the moisture, but holds it," he added.
"Rohit Sharma doesn't need to be taught to score hundreds" - Ravichandran Ashwin
Skipper Rohit Sharma was in full flow throughout the tournament and the brisk starts that India enjoyed were largely due to his pyrotechnics at the top of the order. Scoring at an incredible strike rate of 125, he amassed 597 runs in 11 matches.
However, Rohit received criticism from some quarters after an adventurous attempt to hit Glenn Maxwell out of the ground in the final led to his dismissal for a 31-ball 47, which set a solid foundation but from where his team could not consolidate.
"Everybody says in hindsight that he would score 100 if he carried on, but it was his intent that made the team play in such a way. Rohit Sharma doesn't need to be taught to score hundreds - he has had quite a lot - but it is the intent which counts," Ashwin said.
The right-hander still finished the tournament as the second-highest run-getter with 597 runs in 11 matches at 54.27 with a solitary century. However, Team India failed to win the final game, having stayed unbeaten until the semi-finals.
(With inputs from PTI)
