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Despite their dominance throughout the Cricket World Cup, India were outplayed by Australia on a “slow track” in the final, feels former India batter Ambati Rayudu. Australia shattered India’s hopes of a third ODI World Cup triumph last week at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. After being put into bat, India were bowled out for 240, before Australia chased down the total with ease, despite an early scare. Rayudu said the pitch was “slow and lethargic” for a final.
“We should be proud of the team. The way they played was tremendous. Somehow, I feel the wicket was slow and lethargic for a final. We were way stronger than the Australians. Unfortunately, we got stuck on a wicket that was so slow. I don’t think that should’ve happened. We have the strength and skill to beat any side. In limited overs game, toss shouldn’t matter. That is the ideal scenario,” Rayudu said on BeerBiceps’ YouTube channel.
On being asked if a slow pitch was prepared for the final, Rayudu replied: “I don’t know if anyone has thought about it or done it on purpose. If they have done it on purpose, it’s stupidity. But I don’t think they did that on purpose.”
Rayudu announced his retirement from all forms of the game earlier this year.
He played 55 ODIs for India where he had scored 1694 runs with an average of 47.05. His best knock was unbeaten 124 runs. He scored three centuries and 10 fifties in ODI cricket for India. He has also played six T20I matches for India and smashed 42 runs.
Ace Indian cricket team spinner Ravichandran Ashwin laughed off the media reports that surfaced on the day of India’s Cricket World Cup semifinal against New Zealand in Mumbai claiming that the pitch for the contest was changed at the behest of the hosts.
“Journalists from other countries comment that the pictures have been changed and so on but it is clearly laughable. India is a unique country, different parts of the country have different soils,” he said.
“Ahmedabad in itself has more than 3-4 varieties of soil in the square so, what George Bailey said regarding the pitch made me spellbound, but Pat Cummins’ execution needs to be applauded,” he added.
Ashwin said he had not watched a fast bowler bowl to a conventional field for an off-spinner, which Pat Cummins executed perfectly against India in the final.
“In the last 4-5 games leading up to the final, almost 50 per cent of the balls were cutters. In the final, he had a four-five (four on off, five on leg) field like an off-spinner,” Ashwin observed.
“He bowled only three balls in the 6 meter mark towards the stumps in the entire 10-over spell. He knocked off crucial wickets in the final – a game breaking spell by Pat Cummins apart from calling the toss right,” said Ashwin, while praising the Australian camp for persisting with Travis Head and giving him full backing.
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