Australia captain Pat Cummins’s decision to bowl first against India in the ICC World Cup 2023 final raised many eyebrows. Chasing had been a preferable option in the previous outings at the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium. In fact, India skipper Rohit Sharma also stated after losing the toss that he would have batted first. But as the game transpired, Cummins’ decision turned out to be the smartest one.
A high-flying Indian batting order collapsed like a deck of cards in the first innings and Australias successfully chased down the target to win the title for a record 6th time.
David Warner, who was also part of the Australian side, has now revealed the backstory of the visionary step.
Speaking with Warner on YouTube, South African legend AB de Villiers questioned what made Australia elect to bowl on the Ahmedabad surface which is known for assisting the chasing unit.
In response, the veteran opener said his team had also thought the same on the eve of the final.
“They were discussing it the night before for a good hour and a half or two hours about what to do. All the stats coming through were saying, bat first and put runs on the board. But for once, when we all got asked that question, I think a majority of us said let’s just chase," David Warner said to AB de Villiers.
The majority of the Australian side wanted to read the conditions well in the first innings. After taking the opinion of all squad members, Cummins decided to send their opponents to bat first if they would win the toss.
“If we bowl well and understand the conditions like that, we can then chase and then anchor," Warner said.
Indian batters failed to negotiate Australia’s lethal bowling show on the dry Ahmedabad surface. Apart from senior batters like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, none managed to make a significant contribution to the scoresheet. India ultimately folded up their innings for 240 runs.
Australia also went through a lot of turbulence during the initial overs, with three batters returning early to the pavilion. But the scenario changed after dew came into play in the evening, making the task easier for the Aussie batters. In the end, Travis Head turned out to be the hero for the visitors. The Aussie opener notched a gritty century, which changed the course of the game. Australia finally sealed the deal in 43 overs with 6 wickets in hand.
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