WTC Final, Day 1: Paras Mhambrey defend team management’s decision to leave Ashwin from playing XI

Xtra Time Web Desk: Team India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey defended Rohit Sharma’s decision to leave out Ravichandran Ashwin for the ICC World Test Championship Final 2023 against Australia at the Oval. The decision to leave out the premier off spinner raised questions with former cricketers like Sunil Gavaskar and Ricky Ponting openly criticizing.

Speaking after first day’s play, Mhambrey said it was a collective decision as they felt the wicket might aid the pacers so they went in with an extra seamer. He went on to add that the decision to leave out Ashwin was a difficult one as he has been a champion bowler.

“It is always a very difficult decision to drop a champion bowler like him. Looking at the conditions in the morning we thought an additional seamer would be beneficial. It has also worked in the past for us. Seamers have done well out here for us. You can always look back and say that additional spinner would have been beneficial but we took the call looking at the conditions,” Paras Mhambrey said in the post-day’s play press conference.

The Indian team management decided not to pick Ashwin who is the world’s top-ranked Test bowler. Instead, they went in with a lone specialist spinner in Ravindra Jadeja. The decision to play in an extra seamer backfired as neither Umesh Yadav nor Shardul Thakur looked impressive.

Despite staring at a huge first innings total, Mhambrey said that India can still make a comeback against Australia as the wicket is still fresh and with the second new ball they can make a comeback.

“Definitely we have an opportunity to make a comeback as there is still seam and cut. In the first hour of tomorrow morning with conditions and freshness in the wicket we can do something,” Mhambrey said.

Travis Head and Steve Smith stitched an unbroken 251-runs partnership for the fourth-wicket to see Australia end Day 1 in the driver’s seat.