In the aftermath of India's defeat in the World Cup final, the analysis delves into the key factors that led to the disappointing outcome. While it may not have been a spectacular collapse, the critical point came between overs 11 to 50 of the Indian innings, where only four boundaries were scored, marking a significant turning point.
The game's narrative shifted during the final 40 overs of India's innings as they managed to score just four boundaries. Notably, only Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj contributed to these boundaries, making it the joint-fewest by India in a completed innings since July 2011. This lack of boundary-scoring prowess became a major hurdle.
The pitch, behaving differently throughout the contest, posed challenges for India. Despite expectations of a surface favoring the home team, the conditions backfired, and Australia took advantage. The slow and tacky Pitch 5 compelled an overcautious approach from Indian batsmen, with KL Rahul's innings being particularly slow-paced.
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As the innings progressed, Australia's fielding prowess and the sluggish pitch contributed to India's struggle for boundaries. Rahul's cautious approach and the absence of a robust lower batting order became evident vulnerabilities, exposing India's overreliance on the top order.
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In reflection, the team management's decision to opt for a surface encouraging a stop-and-wait approach comes into question, given India's strength in batting. Despite the disappointment, the players may need to move on and avoid dwelling on the missed opportunities, but the 40 overs of adversity will likely be a point of reflection.
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