Xtra Time Web Desk: There were quite a few eyebrows raised when Australian captain Pat Cummins won the toss and decided to field first in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 final against India at Narendra Modi stadium. But the Australian team management had strategically planned to bowl first if they won the toss. The strategy of the Australian team was revealed by none other than former Aussie captain and currently the chairman of selection committee George Bailey in a chat with Team India’s veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.
Ashwin on his You Tube channel said, “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?’,”
Bailey was prompt in his reply to Ashwin. The Australian selection committee chairman told the veteran Indian spinner that, ‘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,”
According to Bailey the decision to field first in the summit clash was a calculated option taking all that into consideration.
“Dew 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,” said Ashwin.
As it proved it was a good toss to win for Cummins as the Australian bowlers restricted the power packed Indian batting line up for 240 runs in 50 overs. In the run chase Travis Head played a scintillating knock of 137 runs off 120 balls along with Marnus Labuschagne who remained unbeaten on 58* to take Australia home.