12 June,2023 07:52 AM IST | Mumbai | Sunil Gavaskar
R Ashwin arrives at The Oval prior to Day Three of the ICC World Test Championship final between Australia and India in London recently. Pic/Getty Images
The Australians were challenged by a greenish looking pitch on Day One where Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj bowled exceptionally well. What was needed was a bit of luck to survive, which they had as the ball beat the bat often without taking the edge.
India dropped Ravichandran Ashwin, the No. 1 ranked bowler in the game, according to the ICC rankings. The Australians had five left-handers in the team and while one leftie - Travis Head - scored a quickfire century in the first innings, another southpaw Alex Carey got a 48 in the first innings and an unbeaten 66 in the second. During that second innings effort, he also put on 93 runs with another left-hander Mitchell Starc at a time when India were looking to dismiss Australia cheaply in the second innings. If Ashwin had been in the team, who knows what could have happened. With the bat too, he could have contributed. No other top-class Indian cricketer in the modern era has been treated as bafflingly as Ashwin has been. Tell me if there was a No. 1 ICC-ranked batter in the team, would he have been left out of the playing XI just because in earlier times he had not got runs on a grassy pitch or if he had not scored runs on a dry spin-friendly pitch? Definitely not. Neither would his regular batting number be changed. In Ashwin's case, despite being the No.1 bowler, he is not always the first spinner to be brought on. Oh yes, there are reasons given that there were right-handers at the crease, so a left-handed spinner was given the ball or the wind was blowing in a certain direction or the bowler's follow through footmarks were for the left-handed spinner, etc as if Ashwin has only left-handed batters as his wickets.
This is not being wise after the event, but a pattern that has been seen over the years. But for this âhard to understand thinking' he would have already played more than 100 Test matches.
The pitch on the fourth day eased out considerably and with the two most experienced batters in the team together, it could have been a gripping finish to the Ultimate Test match.
Even if India were to win, it should not blind us to the treatment given to Ashwin and whatever the explanation that is given, the bowling results in the match where India have been asked to chase 444 tells us that dropping him was not the right call to make.
The talking point at the end of the fourth day was Shubman Gill's dismissal where he was given out caught by Cameron Green. The catch was taken low down and there was inconclusive evidence whether the ball had touched the ground or not. There were pictures and slow motion videos from Indian supporters to show that the ball was touching the ground and there were also arguments from the Australian supporters that it was a clean catch. Technology has grown by leaps and bounds in recent times and the camera work is outstanding nowadays so this debate will go on. For me, though the shot selection of the skipper Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara was the disappointing aspect of the Indian innings. Why Pujara attempted a ramp shot is hard to understand for that is not a shot he employs regularly. To even try it two deliveries after Rohit was out was also questioning the thinking at the time. Pujara is known for his patience and willingness to take blows, but keep occupying the crease so why on earth did he look to play that shot when runs were not the need but preserving wickets was essential. Pressure can get a player to do strange things and that's why Test cricket is the highest form of the game and the World Test Championship final, the ultimate Test match.
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