Scoring at an incredible strike rate of 125, Rohit Sharma amassed 597 runs in 11 matches
Rohit Sharma (L) and Ravichandran Ashwin attend a practice session (Pic: AFP)
Lending his support to Rohit Sharma, off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Thursday said the India captain 'doesn't need to be taught to score hundreds' after his failure to convert a blazing start into a big score in the ICC World Cup 2023 final against Australia sparked criticism.
Scoring at an incredible strike rate of 125, Sharma amassed 597 runs in 11 matches. However, despite being in full flow throughout the tournament, he received criticism from some quarters after an adventurous attempt to hit Glenn Maxwell out of the ground in the final led to his dismissal for a 31-ball 47 from where his team could not consolidate.
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"Everybody says in hindsight that he would score 100 if he carried on, but it was his intent that made the team play in such a way. Rohit Sharma doesn't need to be taught to score hundreds - he has had quite a lot - but it is the intent which counts," Ashwin said.
The seasoned off-spinner revealed he was shell-shocked by Australia's decision to bowl first in the final last Sunday, but also praised Pat Cummins and selector George Bailey for reading the pitch at Ahmedabad in the most perfect manner.
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Australia clinched their sixth World Cup fin, beating the title favourites, who were on a 10-match winning spree, in the final played at the world's largest cricket stadium.
"Australia were practically outstanding in the final. I was shell-shocked to see their tactics. Australia has deceived me personally, as their history goes by, they say 'we are going to have a bat, mate!' after winning the toss in the big finals," Ashwin said in his latest YouTube video on Thursday.
Ashwin explained why he was surprised by Australia's tactics, but also added that India becoming a 'cricket hub' of the world due to the number of bilateral series as well as the Indian Premier League gave the overseas players insights into pitches and conditions.
"I was checking out if the pitch was disintegrating at the mid innings and I met George Bailey, the chairman of selectors and asked 'why didn't you guys bat first like you always do after winning the toss?' For that he answered back, 'we have played IPL and bilateral series for a long time now, and in our experience, the red soil disintegrates, but the black soil gets better to bat on under the lights'," Ashwin said.
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"Dew is not a big impact in red soil pictures, whereas black soil pitches are good turners in the afternoon, but in the night, the pitch solidifies into a paata wicket and plays as though it is made of concrete. I was flabbergasted listening to that, seeing all the experience from IPL and the bilateral series and India becoming a central hub of world cricket. They can read the pitch perfectly," he continued.
(With agency inputs)
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