"I Asked George Bailey Why...": Ravichandran Ashwin Lauds Australia’s Tactical Brilliance

Veteran Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was impressed with the Australian team’s tactical brilliance in the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 final. Ravichandran Ashwin commended Pat Cummins for preventing batters from scoring boundaries in the summit clash.

India, considered favorites with an unbeaten record in the event, faced a heartbreaking defeat in the final encounter in Ahmedabad. The Australia team executed their plans well and bowled out the opposition for 240 runs after opting to bowl first during the match.

Australia Were Tactically Outstanding In The Final – Ravichandran Ashwin

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Ravichandran Ashwin expressed surprise at Australia’s tactics. Ashwin highlighted Pat Cummins’ effective use of cutters and consistently bowling within a specific length during his entire 10-over spell.

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“Australia were tactically outstanding in the final. I was shell-shocked to see their tactics during the final. Cummins was struggling in ODIs leading upto the World Cup, but the last 4-5 matches of the World Cup, almost 50 percent of his balls were cutters.”

“In the final, Cummins had a 4-5 field like an off-spinner does. He bowled only three balls over 6-meter mark in his entire 10 over spell, he did not bowl full enough for the batters to get under or drive,” Ashwin said.

Cummins played a pivotal role in the World Cup final, taking crucial wickets of Shreyas Iyer and Virat Kohli. He finished with bowling figures of 2-34 in his 10 overs. Australia successfully chased down the target in 43 overs to secure their sixth ODI World Cup title.

Black Soil Gets Better to Bat On Under The Lights – Ravichandran Ashwin

Ashwin revealed that George Bailey explained that Australia’s decision to bowl first was influenced by their experience in the IPL and bilateral series. Ashwin suggested that the black soil wicket lacked bounce, making it challenging for batters in the first innings.

“Australia has deceived me personally. I expected them to bat first and score big like they do in the finals. The soil in Ahmedabad was like Orissa, there will not be much bounce, but the soil will not disintegrate because the clay does not release the moisture, it holds it,” he further added.

“When I was checking the pitch during the mid-innings break, I asked George Bailey why they did not opt to bat first. He said that they have played a lot of IPL and bilateral series here, in their experience, the red soil disintegrates while the black soil gets better to bat on under the lights.”

Also read: “Mighty Mighty Heartbreak” – Ravichandran Ashwin’s Heartfelt Message After World Cup 2023 Final Loss