ICC World Cup finals | Key points: How Australia managed to dominate mighty Indian batting unit
The Hindu
Australia's grizzly-haired veterans dominated India in the World Cup final, restricting them to 240 all out. Rohit Sharma's strategy was to blunt the Aussies' new ball bowlers, but his innings ended with a running-diving catch. Australia's fielding was top-notch, forcing India to change their gung-ho approach. Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer looked nervous, and Kohli and Rahul steadied the innings with a 67-run partnership. Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa, Glenn Maxwell and Travis Head all contributed to India's boundary drought.
Australia's grizzly-haired veterans brought all their big-game experience to the fore, restricting a hitherto rollicking India to 240 all out in the World Cup final in Ahmedabad on November 19.
Their dominance over the hosts had multiple focal points to it, while India made a couple of moments of their own through fifties by Virat Kohli and KL Rahul.
Here's a closer look at important moments in the match.
From the beginning of the tournament, Rohit batted only in one gear, evidenced by his strike-rate of 126. On this day, the Mumbaikar made runs at 151. His strategy was clear, blunt the Aussie new ball bowlers and the skipper blasted two sixes off pacer Josh Hazlewood to give early momentum to his side.
But Rohit’s innings did not bloom into something bigger. His effort to hoist off-spinner Glenn Maxwell over the ring ended when Travis Head took a lovely running-diving catch towards sweeper cover. Australia snapped India’s march too for that moment.
The Antipodeans have always been a very good fielding side, and they raised the bar one notch up in the summit clash. Travis Head took that brilliant running catch to dismiss Rohit Sharma and David Warner made more than one diving saves near the ropes to save the boundaries, leaving Indian batters a bit frustrated.
It also forced them to change their gung-ho approach that they followed so far in the tournament. Cummins also made some really good field placements.
