Perhaps, the biggest shortcoming for India was the absence of Ravichandran Ashwin, who is the highest wicket taker in this year's WTC. The side made a blunder by choosing to play an extra seamer in Umesh Yadav, who leaked a lot of runs in the first innings. Ashwin, if given a place in the Playing XI, would have been Rohit's main weapon in the second half of the Test as the pitch offered turn from Day 3 onwards
The side’s top-order collapse in both innings is what cost Team India an ICC trophy. India could not manage to reach 300 in either innings in the match on a pitch where the likes of Travis Head & Steve Smith flourished. The star-studded lineup of Rohit, Pujara, Gill and Kohli couldn't manage to score a single fifty in either innings. Ajinkya Rahane's return to form and his 89 in the first innings was the only positive
The pitch at the Oval was light green in colour before the start of the match and conditions were overcast at the toss which are believed to have influenced Rohit Sharma's decision to bowl first. India made a good start with the ball, picking Australia's top-three in the first hour. India appeared to have thought short-term at the time and reaped rewards for a little while before Australia took control of the proceedings as the sun came out and the pitched eased out for the batters.
India bounced back in the game during Australia’s second innings but the bowlers were erratic in the first innings, allowing Australia to pile on 469 on the first two days. The likes of Head, Smith, Alex Carey and Marnus Labuschagne were too much to bear for Siraj, Shami, Shardul, Umesh and Jadeja, thereby, making India toil hard on the field.
The injured Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out of the WTC final earlier this year due to his back injury which has plagued him since September last year. India dearly missed his services in the WTC Final as they failed to get 20 wickets in an away Test once again.
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