We Had A Month’s Break After The IPL And Didn’t Play Any Games - Ravichandran Ashwin On WTC Final Loss
Updated - 02 Jul 2021, 11:47 AM
Senior India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin cites the lack of match practice as one of the reasons – not an excuse – for the loss in the inaugural WTC final versus New Zealand in Southampton.
India were outplayed in particular on the sixth day for the Kiwis to take the game and the WTC mace by 8 wickets.
Ravichandran Ashwin points out that India didn’t have any high-level match practice after the IPL 2021 was postponed earlier, not least such as the Kiwis had – a Test series, which they won, against England in England. India, on the other hand, involved themselves in just a solitary intra-squad game before the final, despite the IPL 2021 getting suspended in early May.
“New Zealand were well-deserved winners. They were in the game throughout, constantly swinging the ball. The rub of the green didn’t go our way. England is not an easy place to travel and take wickets or score runs instantly.
“We had a month’s break after the IPL and didn’t play any games. Not giving excuses, we gave our best shot but it didn’t happen, and it was disappointing,” Ravichandran Ashwin said in his YouTube video.
Hoping we can win some other ICC tournament: Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin feels disappointed for letting down a billion Indian fans, who have been waiting for an ICC silverware since 2011 and have suffered heartbreak in the knockout games. The spinning all-rounder says he didn’t think the game would go into the sixth day – but it did because more than two days were lost to rain and bad light, and produced a result, not in India’s favour though.
“I was numb after the game, wondering what had happened. Even on the last day, I believed we were in the match. The lbw of Kane Williamson, ball tracker showed the ball was missing. It was unexpected. Match got over and it was upsetting.
“Obviously, fans are disappointed and rightly so. A billion Indians were looking forward to some good news after the lockdown and such stuff. But it did not happen. Fingers crossed. Just hoping we can win some other ICC tournament,” the 34-year-old stated.
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ICC World Test Championship (WTC) India vs New Zealand Final IPL 2021 Ravichandran Ashwin