New Delhi: The Australian cricket team defeated the Indian team by 6 wickets in the finals of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023, to lift their record-extending sixth World Cup title.<\/p>\n
Australian skipper Pat Cummins won the toss and to everyone\u2019s surprise opted to bowl first, which was very unusual for the Kangaroos as they preferred to bat first throughout the tournament.<\/p>\n
However, the move worked as despite half-centuries from Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, team India only managed to put up a total of 240 after playing 50 overs of their quota.<\/p>\n
In reply, Australia with the help of Travis Head\u2019s century and Marnus Labuschange\u2019s not-out half-century, chased down the target with 6 wickets and 42 balls to spare and broke India\u2019s dream to win their first ICC trophy after 10 long years.<\/p>\n
\nAustralia wins their 20th World Cup in history (13 in women, 7 in men). pic.twitter.com\/MmcKzUWpr8<\/a><\/p>\n
\u2014 Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) November 19, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
While everyone was busy trying to find out what went wrong for team India in the finals, the veteran Indian spinner and member of India\u2019s World Cup squad, Ravichandran Ashwin, found out what Australia did right in the finals.<\/p>\n
The surprising decision<\/span><\/h2>\n
Ashwin through his YouTube channel on Thursday, recalled his conversation with Australia\u2019s chairman of selectors, George Bailey, which astounded him.<\/p>\n
Ashwin in his video said, \u201cI was checking out if the pitch was disintegrating at the mid-innings and I met George Bailey, the chairman of selectors and asked \u2018Why didn\u2019t you guys bat first like you always do after winning the toss?\u201d<\/p>\n
\nHow George Bailey (Chief Selector), Pat Cummins and Australia put on a tactical masterclass by assessing the conditions so well and opting to bowl first. The explanation Bailey gave blew @ashwinravi99<\/a>\u2018s mind. pic.twitter.com\/LwF82LDyiS<\/a><\/p>\n
\u2014 Crikipidea (@crikipidea) November 23, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Bailey\u2019s reply left Ashwin speechless and also implied how important the IPL has become for these foreign players.<\/p>\n
To answer Ashwin\u2019s question, George Bailey said, \u201cWe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDew is not a big impact in red soil pitches, 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,\u201d Bailey concluded.<\/p>\n
I was left speechless<\/span><\/h2>\n
Ashwin said after hearing the answer he was flabbergasted, by how much these players are studying the features of Indian pitches, and how it might be becoming a problem for India in the upcoming times.<\/p>\n
\nThe Chief Selector of Australian Cricket Team during his playing days \ud83d\ude02<\/p>\n
What a character George Bailey \ud83d\ude42#FlashbackFriday<\/a>pic.twitter.com\/dN5KNPipa6<\/a><\/p>\n