• Home
  • Who Said What
  • Australia And Pat Cummins Deceived Me Ravi Ashwin On World Cup Final Loss

'Australia And Pat Cummins Deceived Me': Ravi Ashwin On World Cup Final Loss

image-lpb3t064R. Ashwin with Indian captain, Rohit Sharma (Twitter)

In a surprising turn of events during the 2023 ODI Cricket World Cup final, Ravichandran Ashwin expressed his admiration for Australia's tactical brilliance, acknowledging that the Men in Blue were outplayed by the Aussies. 

The seasoned Indian cricketer, who was part of the World Cup squad, was particularly impressed by Australia's decision to bowl first, deviating from their historical trend of choosing to bat after winning the toss.

Ashwin revealed that he had anticipated Australia to stick to tradition, but their unexpected decision to bowl left him in awe. He attributed Australia's triumph to their strategic acumen, emphasizing that their success was not a stroke of luck or destiny. 

Instead, Ashwin credited their victory to a thorough analysis of the pitch conditions, specifically the unique characteristics of the black soil at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Here's what Ashwin said on his YouTube channel:

“Let me make it clear, Australia did not win because of destiny or luck. They were tactically outstanding in the final. I watched their performance in the final with absolute fascination. Australia and Pat Cummins deceived me. I thought Australia would bat first if they win the toss because, historically, it’s an Aussie thing to ‘win the toss and bat’. The wicket used for the final was not Ahmedabad soil, it was rather from Odisha. It was the kind of wicket that would not disintegrate too much."

In hindsight, Ashwin's reflection on the World Cup final underscores the dynamic and unpredictable nature of cricket, where strategic choices and adaptability can be the deciding factors in a championship match.