Former Australian spinner Nathan Hauritz has listed a couple of factors, going against India’s way in the ICC World Test Championship final against New Zealand in Southampton. New Zealand handed India a humbling defeat at the Ageas Bowl to be the inaugural World Test Champions. Nathan Hauritz primarily believes that Mohammed Siraj would’ve been a handful in the decider.
Not only did the batting, but the bowling did not go India’s way in the World Test Championship final. With India losing the toss, New Zealand elected to bowl first under overcast conditions and pulled back the opposition after conceding a 62-run opening partnership. Though India finished day two at 146-3, they threw the advantage the following day.
Kyle Jamieson’s five-wicket haul in the first innings, including Virat Kohli’s scalp, skittled India for 217. Following New Zealand’s 32-run lead, they produced a fine bowling performance even as the deck did not do much due to sunlight. The Kiwis bowled out Kohli’s men for 170 and chased 139 for victory with eight wickets to spare.
The decision of playing two spinners was unusual: Nathan Hauritz
Nathan Hauritz started out by stating that India’s batting unit did not use the conditions well as the middle-order has been misfiring, putting Virat Kohli under pressure. The 39-year old also raised eyebrows at playing two spinners in Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja on a track where it rained. Hauritz believes that India would’ve been better off playing an extra seamer, reckoning that Mohammed Siraj would have made a difference.
“Indian batters didn’t use the conditions well. They failed to judge the conditions. India’s middle-order is not firing at the moment. That was the reason. A lot was on Virat’s shoulders and he knows that. The decision of playing two spinners in England, in the place that was raining, that was a very unusual decision. Better to have taken a chance with seamers. I think Siraj would have made a difference. He did well in Australia and his inclusion would have been great,” Nathan Hauritz told Times of India.
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