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'Should Not Have Played That Shot'- Sehwag Reflects On Rohit's Dismissal In WC Final

image-lp6j090gGlenn Maxwell dismissed Rohit Sharma [AP]

In a stunning turn of events at the World Cup 2023 final, India faced defeat against Australia, ending their impressive run in the tournament. The match was characterised by India's lacklustre performance in both batting and bowling. A crucial moment came with Rohit Sharma's dismissal, which drew significant criticism from former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag.

Sehwag critiques Rohit Sharma's dismissal in World Cup final

Sehwag, expressing his views on Cricbuzz, highlighted Rohit's decision-making as a critical error. Rohit, who had been batting confidently, hitting a six and a four off consecutive deliveries from Glenn Maxwell, made a miscalculated move in the 10th over. Attempting to loft Maxwell again, he ended up giving a catch to Travis Head, leading to his dismissal.

Sehwag pointed out that Rohit's choice to play that shot was questionable, especially after scoring a six and a four. He pointed out that the coaching staff would likely address this with the Indian captain, noting that a more cautious approach could have altered the game's dynamics.

"He may or may not be disappointed by it, but team management would certainly be. The coaching staff will tell him that when you have already hit a 6 and a four, you should not have played that shot. But Rohit thought, it was the last over of the Powerplay and he didn't want to let Maxwell go easy. No doubt, it was a bad shot. You gave a chance. If he had played it out, the situation could have been very different," said Sehwag.

The Indian veteran further commented on the change in the match's trajectory following Rohit's exit. 

He observed that the wicket seemed entirely different, with subsequent Indian batters struggling to hit shots or rotate the strike effectively.

"But it seemed a completely different wicket after Rohit was dismissed. Neither anyone could hit a shot, nor the batters were able to rotate strike," added the legendary opener.

Coming to the game, batting first, India put up a total of 240 runs in 50 overs. Despite fifties from Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, the team's run rate significantly dropped after Rohit's wicket. On the other hand, Travis Head's century was a crucial factor in Australia's victory, breaking India's 10-match winning streak and securing Australia's sixth World Cup title.