NewKerala.com

Manjrekar Labels India's 2023 WC Final Pitch a "Blunder"

Former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has called India's decision to use a slow pitch in the 2023 ODI World Cup final a "blunder," arguing it nullified the advantage for power hitters like Suryakumar Yadav. He suggested the captain-coach duo tried to control off-field elements excessively. Other legends pointed to the immense pressure of expectations and Australia's superior preparation as factors in the defeat. As India moves forward, the focus now shifts to upcoming ICC events, including the T20 World Cup starting in February.

Key Points: Manjrekar: India's WC Final Pitch Choice a Blunder

  • Pitch selection criticized
  • Advantage lost for hitters
  • Pressure of expectation
  • Australia's better preparation
  • Focus shifts to T20 World Cup
3 min read

Manjrekar calls India's pitch selection in 2023 WC final a "blunder"

Sanjay Manjrekar criticizes India's slow pitch selection in the 2023 ODI World Cup final, calling it a tactical error that cost them the title against Australia.

"The pitch they chose was a blunder. - Sanjay Manjrekar"

Mumbai, December 26

Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar said that the pitch chosen by Team India for the 2023 ODI World Cup final against Australia was a "blunder", being critical of the captain-coach duo of Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid for controlling off-field stuff "a little too much".

On November 19, two years back, India's memorable run at the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup at home did not reach its fairytale ending as their fiery batting line-up scored just 240 on a tough Ahmedabad pitch against Australia. Despite having Australia at a spot of bother at 47/3, a counter-attack from centurion Travis Head took Australia to their sixth 50-over crown, handing India a loss, causing a pain that even winning two white-ball ICC titles later could not really heal. Manjrekar was speaking on 'Rise of Champions' on JioHotstar.

Speaking during the programme, Manjrekar said that while he is proud of the Team India which played the tournament and looked like "the best team in the world", he criticised team's decision to go with a slow pitch and removing the advantage of pace coming on the bat for batters like Suryakumar Yadav, who could have played a crucial role in final 10 overs had conditions been right enough for his T20I style hitting.

"I was very proud of that Indian team that played in the 2023 ODI World Cup because it looked like the best team in the world. India, with Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid, tried to control things off the field a little too much. The pitch they chose was a blunder. We saw that batters like Suryakumar Yadav are not the same when the pace is taken off on a slow pitch," said Manjrekar.

Also, former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar hailed Rohit for his leadership, saying, "India got off to flying starts with Rohit Sharma scoring most of the runs. He set an example for others to play in that way and keep the scoreboard moving."

Rohit ended the tournament as the second-highest run-getter, with 597 runs in 11 innings at an average of 54.27 with a stunning strike rate of 125.94, including a century and three fifties. He also hit a total of 31 sixes in the tournament and set a template of fiery powerplay batting with opener Shubman Gill, which gave Team India a cushion of extra runs after the conclusion of the powerplay.

Former spin legend Harbhajan Singh opined that the "expectation and pressure" of winning shifted India's focus.

"I think that was the pressure of playing a big final. The expectation to win shifted their focus. Their focus drifted, and that is why we fell behind in that match," he said.

Also, former Australian cricketer Matthew Hayden said, "Everyone just celebrated that India would win easily at home. They forgot it is a sports field and there are two teams racing. One was better prepared. They are a dominant team, but losing the World Cup at home is a huge loss. I don't know how you move on from that. With 1.4 billion people, you should beat anyone on the planet."

Now that the ICC T20 World Cup, the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, and the maiden ICC Women's Cricket World Cup are secured, the focus shifts to T20I action, with the T20 World Cup starting on February 7, and India playing the USA in their opening clash. They are placed in Group A alongside Pakistan, Namibia, Netherlands and the USA. The tournament is being co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

P
Priya S
It's easy to criticize in hindsight. The team played brilliant cricket throughout. One bad day, one wrong decision. We should be proud of that campaign. Let's focus on the T20 WC now!
A
Aman W
Harbhajan Singh nailed it. The pressure of 1.4 billion expectations got to them. You could see the tension on their faces. Australia played like they had nothing to lose. Mental strength matters more than pitch selection sometimes.
S
Sarah B
As a neutral observer, Hayden's comment is spot on. The narrative was all "India's to lose" and it became a self-fulfilling prophecy. Australia were the underdogs and played like champions. A classic final, just heartbreaking for Indian fans.
V
Vikram M
Respectfully, I disagree with Manjrekar. We lost because we didn't bat well enough on the day, simple. 240 was never going to be enough. Blaming the pitch is just looking for excuses. Credit to Travis Head and Australia.
K
Kavya N
That final was a national heartbreak. But we've won two ICC trophies since! We should learn and move on. Rohit was a fantastic leader throughout. Onwards and upwards for the Men in Blue! 💙

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50