What Went Wrong for Australia vs. India
Dav Whatmore’s Analysis of Australia’s Loss to India in ODI World Cup 2023
In the thrilling encounter between Australia and India during the 2023 ODI World Cup, cricket fans witnessed a roller-coaster of emotions, twists, and turns. As India secured a six-wicket victory, their resurgence from a precarious position was orchestrated by none other than the run-machine, Virat Kohli, and the ever-reliable KL Rahul. But what went wrong for Australia? To understand this, we turn to cricket expert Dav Whatmore, the 1996 World Cup-winning coach, who dissected the match and offered valuable insights.
One pivotal moment in the match that Whatmore highlighted was Kohli’s drop catch. In the eighth over of the Indian innings, Josh Hazlewood delivered a bouncer that took the edge of Kohli’s bat. However, Mitchell Marsh, stationed at slip, couldn’t grasp the opportunity. Whatmore emphasized the significance of this missed chance, stating, “The king of the chase, they put him down at 12, and he went on to score 80 (85) runs. You can’t do that if you want to win games against good teams.” Indeed, letting Kohli off the hook proved costly for the Aussies, as he went on to anchor India’s successful chase.
However, Whatmore also acknowledged that Australia’s woes extended beyond this drop catch. Despite a decent start, with David Warner (41) and Steve Smith (43) adding 69 runs for the second wicket, the team couldn’t post a challenging total. The former Australia cricketer noted, “Australia didn’t score enough runs. They started off okay but didn’t get enough runs, but the Indian spinners had a big say in that.” He attributed India’s spinners, especially Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja, for disrupting Australia’s batting flow and creating pressure.
Kuldeep Yadav played a crucial role in breaking the Smith-Warner partnership before Jadeja’s magic with the ball dismantled Australia further. Jadeja’s spell saw him dismissing Smith with a peach of a delivery and subsequently accounting for Marnus Labuschagne and Alex Carey in the same over. These breakthroughs left Australia struggling at 119 for five in 30 overs. Whatmore praised the Indian spinners for their impact on the game.
However, while analyzing Australia’s performance, Whatmore also pondered whether Mitchell Starc, Australia’s premier fast bowler, could have been utilized differently. Starc bowled only three overs in his first spell, which included the crucial wicket of Ishan Kishan. Whatmore commented, “Yes, he could have stayed on for another over or two, but that’s academic.” This decision, although debatable, reflected the captain’s strategy at that moment.
Shifting the focus to India’s batting, particularly their early setbacks, Whatmore highlighted the need for composure. Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and Shreyas Iyer lost their wickets quickly, but Whatmore believed that taking more time before playing shots might have been a better approach. He pointed out, “Take a bit of time. All three of them were rushing (to play shots). Maybe not Rohit so much as he got a good ball, but Iyer and Kishan played not very good shots.” This advice emphasizes the importance of steadying the ship, especially in a chase.
In the end, India’s remarkable turnaround, led by Kohli and Rahul, secured a crucial victory in the 2023 ODI World Cup. The win provided India with much-needed two points at the start of their campaign. With matches against Afghanistan and arch-rivals Pakistan on the horizon, India’s journey in the tournament promises more excitement and challenges. Cricket enthusiasts eagerly await more thrilling encounters and expert analyses from Dav Whatmore as the ODI World Cup unfolds.
In summary, the India vs. Australia clash was a gripping contest, and Whatmore’s insights shed light on the key moments and strategies that shaped the outcome. The drop catch of Virat Kohli, Australia’s inability to post a competitive total, the impact of Indian spinners, and the need for composure in batting were some of the key takeaways from Whatmore’s analysis. Cricket fans can expect more exciting twists and turns as the tournament progresses.
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By- Sahiba Suri