The All New World Cup 2023 Thread.

[GarlicJam]

I have voted for Kohli as batter and player of the tournament, but I think he should take a fair portion of responsibility for India's low score. He looked to have very little intent on building an asking total for Aus to chase. I suspect that he thought he was in for the long haul - maybe took it for granted? - and that really showed, with his obvious disappointment at getting out, and his reluctance to leave the crease.

An extra 30 runs might have made all the difference.

[sussexpob]

Unless we set the impossibly high standard of players failing unless they win every single game for their team, I dont get much of the criticism being levelled at Kohli. People are heaping praise on Marnus for his stickability, but he essentially did what Kohli did.... played an innings that steadied the ship after 3 quick wickets went down, and made 50.... Not sure we can blame Kohli for the fact that Rahul didn't score 130 at the other end, which is the only difference other than the fact Marnus had the luxury of batting even more negatively.

I don't really believe in creating narratives to account for freak occurrences. At the end of the day, its a one off game, a few mistakes can swing it. We can take small samples and make any nonsense up, but what does it mean? Kohli for instance may have failed in some big matches, but in 13/14 he top scored in the T20I final India lost with an 80 odd. Was Y.Singh a choker that day after a dismal score? Interesting, because 2 years before it was him at the crease bringing the WC home with Dhoni with an innings in the final.

[sussexpob]

The thing that really disappointed me was how passive India were in the field. There was a period a little north of 100/3, where you could feel the game slipping away as the ball had stopped doing much and both Aussies looked settled. Rohit needed to see that he had to take wickets, and was never saving the game with run saving overs.... two clear edges, one each from the batters, went to a vacant slip. He needed to bring catchers in, and bring the field in to save the singles. The India spinners were too quick in the air too.

The pitch did seemingly flatten out as the night wore on, but that could be an illusion as to the quality of batting/bowling

[sussexpob]

I guess in the end, the softer underbelly of India got exposed by Australia. When the top 3-4 made runs for fun, you can ignore the fact Rahul is quite a ponderous option in 2023, or that Yadav seems very much a luxury pick that doesnt do anything. Top batsman who hit the ball hard will fail, and sometimes all of them fail at the same time - which is what happened. That exposed a naturally cautious Rahul into closing shop at SR in the 60s, Jadeja as a batter can stick around but also isnt going to sway a match with hitting, and once they got passed him the 4 man tail was exposed with Yadav becoming stranded. Rahul also kept appallingly.

I guess Risbah Pant's electric batting instantly makes this team better, although I dont know when he will be fit to return. And surely Yadav has to go, he seems a bit weakline in these situations.... but who knows, maybe his role 90% of the time in this team is SR over average, because he only bats at the end slogging.

[meninblue]

Rahul Dravid in PC has agreed that the total of 290 was required. Have been saying this since India posted 240 that it was below par score considering numerous factors. So Indian think tank knew it like us, but still they played for 240. On Indian wicket with Maxwell, Mitch, Travis and others bowling, if you cannot score boundary for 96 balls whatever the situation it then it is pathetic imo.

Only Rohit was the one who scored 47 runs at sr 152. , everyone else who played more than 10 balls failed to rotate strike if not score big hits.

Virat - sr 86
Rahul - sr 62
Surya - sr 65

Others failed to score more than 10 runs , Shubman - 4, Shreyas -4 and Sir Jadeja - 9 and mentioning their sr is pointless whatever it is.

So this failure is not just of Virat, it is failure of total batting unit apart from Rohit. This team has not won any major trophy since 2011 WC. I guess most expected seniors like Rohit and Virat to do well. Rohit was scoring runs at an excellent strike rate. Virat and Rahul could not score ofg Glenn Maxwell, Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh. KL Rahul is a terrible batsman to have in such situations, but Virat is of a different level, who was expected to show that atleast in one major tournament he will play a lead role in India winning, atleast at home. Not to be this time as well. If Rohit had not given a good start against a team like Australia who are at their best in finals, he too would have been criticized. But his innings helps him escape that to a certain extent.

This is failure of whole batting lineup apart from Rohit on a wicket where 300 was bare minimum. 60 runs short against Australia given numerous factors affecting yesterday was a very below par score. Yet again this team has failed to handle pressure of major final and the seniors will get more criticism than the youngsters. This team needs players who can win in crucial final. It's been years we have been waiting for a trophy and this was a WC final at home.

[bigfluffylemon]

I've posted the awards thread
http://www.cricket-match-special.com/vi ... =4&t=22366

Just a reminder on this, folks

[alfie]

I wouldn't criticize Kohli for his efforts in the final. He did what he often does : played steadily , moving his team into a decent if hardly imposing position from which a late onslaught can bring about a very dependable score . He was slightly unlucky to play on to Cummins and once he did the limitations of the rest of the batting were exposed by continued good Australian bowling and fielding. If Kohli had stayed in I have no doubt the final total would have been very much larger and the result not inevitable - as it was the game was Australia's to lose from the start of their innings. (Though I was also unimpressed by the Indian bowling effort : seamers guilty of trying too hard , gifted early runs and frankly a bit lucky to take the wickets they did ; and the spinners seemed to me to be looking more for economy than being prepared to buy the wickets they desperately needed. ) Though I went to sleep at 103/3 because it was pretty obvious the Aussies had it in the bag. They are generally excellent at big game tournament finishing and were never likely to implode the way , say , SA might have done.

Anyway , well done Cummins and co. Probably not the best team this year but they have the Cup so can laugh all the way home