The pitch used in the 2023 ODI World Cup final was controversial, as it was tough to bat on. The slow pitch made it tough for the Indian batters to score runs and it was heavily criticized by fans and pundits alike.
Rahul Dravid openly claimed the pitch was the reason India lost, but former Indian star revealed that the pitch was doctored. In an interview with The Lallantop, Mohammad Kaif revealed that Dravid and Rohit Sharma ensured a slow pitch was prepared to reduce the danger of the Aussie fast bowlers like Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc.
Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma inspected the pitch for three days continuously and I saw the pitch changing color. They prepared a slow pitch to tackle the fast bowlers Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, but it was a mistake. People say the pitch curator prepares the pitch and there is no influence, but that is false. Mohammad Kaif to The Lallantop
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The pace trio of Cummins, Starc and Josh Hazlewood ended up picking seven wickets in the final. They bowled India out for 240 runs, with the Indians unable to defend the total. Australia ended up winning the World Cup by 6 wickets.
How did the Aussies oversmart India on the slow pitch?
Ravichandran Ashwin explained how the Australians had beaten India in the 2023 World Cup Final. On his YouTube channel, he recounted his conversation with Australian selector, George Bailey.
When asked why the Aussies elected to bowl, Bailey explained that the pitch, which had black soil, was better for bowling during the day due to it disintegrating. Bailey further explained the pitch settled at night, making it easier to bat on.
Pat Cummins further kept attacking the Indian batter by bowling short of length, confusing the batters. By bowling that length, the batters weren’t sure if the ball would receive any extra bounce or if it would skid.
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