While reflecting on Rohit Sharma's brigade's hammering at the hands of Australia in World Test Championship (WTC) final at the Oval, batting legend Sachin Tendulkar blamed India for leaving out Ravichandran Ashwin in the ultimate clash at the Oval.
Rohit Sharma dropped World no.1 bowler in Tests from India's playing XI and instead included an extra seamer in Umesh Yadav for the WTC title match against Australia. Playing four-seamer-and-one-spinner combination backfired for Rohit as Indian bowlers looked helpless before Steve Smith and Travis Head's batting wizardry before Mohammed Siraj took a four-fer on Day 2 but it was too later for India by then as Australia piled a colossal total of 469 which laid their foundation of the maiden WTC title. None of the Indian bowlers looked effective which allowed Australian batters to unleash themselves and play freely.
Australia later bundled out India for 296 to take an unassailable lead of 173 runs despite Ajinkya Rahane's fighting 89. In Australia's second innings also, Indian bowlers couldn't keep it tight which saw Pat Cummins' men giving Rohit's men a stiff 444-run target.
Scott Boland ripped through India's batting line-up with his fiery spell and scripted India's defeat with back-to-back wickets of Virat Kohli (49) and Ravindra Jadeja (0) in the same over. Moments later India's only hope too was dashed with Ajinkya Rahane's (46) dismissal as the Men in Blue were reduced to 234 extended their 10-year-old ICC title drought.
Tendulkar blames Ashwin's exclusion
Meanwhile, India's batting great Tendulkar questioned Ashwin's absence from India's playing XI in WTC final.
"I fail to understand the exclusion of @ashwinravi99 in the playing XI, who is currently the number one Test bowler in the world," Tendulkar said in a tweet.
"As I had mentioned before the match, skillful spinners don't always rely on turning tracks, they use drift in the air and bounce off the surface to disguise their variations. Not to forget, Australia had 5 left-handers out of their top 8 batters," he added.
Meanwhile, Australia became the first men’s team to win all major ICC titles as they have earlier clinched the ODI World Cup in 1987, 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2015. They also grabbed their hands on the ICC Champions Trophy in 2006 and 2009 respectively. Australia also ended their T20 World Cup title drought in 2021 when they defeated New Zealand under Aaron Finch's leadership.
On the other hand, India faltered yet again in the ICC final as they are still in a quest to win an ICC trophy after Champions Trophy in 2013.
Meanwhile, Tendulkar lauded Steve Smith and Travis Head for their splendid centurion knocks which proved to be the cornerstone of Australia's WTC title triumph.
Smith (121) and Head (163) weaved a crucial 285-run stand for the fourth wicket in Australia's first innings which only helped them to pile a colossal total of 469.
"@stevesmith49 and @travishead34 set a solid foundation on Day one itself to tilt the game in their favour. India had to bat big in the first innings to stay in the game, but they couldn't," Tendulkar's tweet added.
