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'Weaker Team Australia' - Manjrekar Hits At World Cup Winners After Sorrow Loss

image-lp88j1t5Cummins won the toss and opted to bowl in Ahmedabad (Twitter)

Sanjay Manjrekar highlighted toss and pitch conditions in Ahmedabad as the two decisive factors in Australia's memorable triumph in the ICC World Cup 2023 final against India on Sunday (November 19). The veteran commentator felt the two gave "weaker" Australian side "more ammunition" to upstage the mighty tournament hosts. 

Australia had entered the summit clash in front of the packed 1,30,00-seated crowd in Motera as massive second favourites against Rohit Sharma & company but managed to turn the tables on them with a comprehensive display and six-wicket victory. 

Manjrekar's remarks on Ahmedabad pitch

For Manjrekar, while the champion DNA of the Kangaroos came to the fore, they were also given a huge advantage by a dry and sluggish pitch that curtailed the Indian run-scoring in the first half and became the batting paradise when the dew completely flattened the dented patches on the same turf.

The Men in Blue were bundled out for a paltry score of 240 in their 50 overs but the Aussies overhauled that inside 43 overs with six wickets firmly intact. Even as Indians encountered relentless Australian bowling and a surface that plagued on their wings, their Aussie counterparts, including centurion Travis Head, rampaged at the crease for their stays after the initial struggles to 47/3. 

'Toss Was A Huge Factor' - Sanjay Manjrekar 

"India losing the toss, for me was huge factor, all of us who saw the pitch before the match felt that it just gave the weaker team, Australia, more ammunition," Manjrekar wrote in his column for Hindustan Times. 

"Let me give you an example. The rough surface meant the ball moved off the seam a little and also didn’t skid onto the bat in the afternoon. That phenomenon took care of Shreyas Iyer. Reverse swing got KL Rahul."

Manjrekar was one of the rare experts who had hailed skipper Cummins on TV coverage for his choice after winning the toss. Going against the traditional idea of putting runs on the board in a major final, Cummins decided to bowl in what proved to be a perfect call considering the overall conditions on offer. 

"A good batting pitch and India would have managed to get over 300 and then we would have seen a better contest," he added.