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Cricket News: 3 reasons why India lost the 2023 WTC Final | Why did India lose WTC Final 2023? A look at three key reasons

Australia became the first nation to win all major ICC titles after comprehensively beating India in the final of the World Test Championship (WTC).

In what was a cracking game of Test cricket, Australia kept their nerves under pressure. All three results were possible heading into day five, with India needing 280 runs to win with seven wickets in hand. However, Australia played their best cricket on the final day to blow India away before lunch.

Coming into this game, India would have hoped to put up a better show. Instead, their decade-long hunt for an ICC trophy continues. On that note, let us look at three reasons behind India’s loss in the final.

3 key reasons why India lost the WTC Final

1. Team selection

The inclusion of four pacers is never too bad an idea in England. However, India’s selection came at the cost of a modern-day Test great, Ravichandran Ashwin. The off-spinner was left out as India chose Umesh Yadav and Shardul Thakur as the other two fast bowlers in addition to Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami.

In the lead up, Steve Smith talked about how the pitch could assist spinners as the game progresses. He was indeed right. On days four and five, Ravindra Jadeja and Nathan Lyon got a fair bit of turn and bounce, of which Ashwin would have surely enjoyed.

Apart from being the top-ranked bowler, he also has a favourable matchup against left-handed batsmen. Against left-handers, Ashwin has notched a tremendous 240 wickets at an average of just 19. Furthermore, he has grabbed 114 Test wickets against Australia; his most against any nation.

Also, crucially, he averages just a little over 19 overall against Australia’s four left-handed batters: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Travis Head and Alex Carey.

In the end, Head and Carey played crucial knocks to push Australia ahead in the contest. On a dry pitch in hot conditions, Ashwin could have combined control with wicket-taking threat to give India a greater chance in this match.

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2. First day performance

India got off to a dream start after Usman Khawaja nicked one to the wicketkeeper off Siraj. The conditions looked conducive for pace bowling, with movement in the air and off the pitch.

However, to Rohit Sharma’s misfortune, India could not really make use of the first hour or so.

The Australian batters were beaten on multiple occasions, but India did not get as many wickets as they could and should have. Shami bowled a touch short, while Umesh and Shardul leaked way too many runs. Australia outperformed India in this regard, particularly on days two and five.

When Travis Head started counterattacking, the Indian bowlers had no reply. Steve Smith settled in as well after getting off to a scratchy start.

Eventually, India gave away 327 runs on the first day and 469 in the first innings. From there on, they were never really in control of the game despite the efforts of Ajinkya Rahane and Shardul Thakur with the bat.

3. Top order failing to make it count

None of India’s top four could capitalise on the decent starts they got in both innings.

Rohit Sharma failed to produce an inspirational performance as the skipper. In the first innings, he was caught on the crease and was dismissed LBW off Cummins. In the second innings, he would feel he missed out. He looked in extremely good touch and was on track to get a really big score. However, a lapse of concentration off Nathan Lyon’s bowling saw him dismissed for 43.

Shubman Gill creamed a cover drive and a pull before he was knocked over by Boland on day two. In the second innings, Boland again got the better of Gill, thanks to a controversial Cameron Green catch.

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Pujara, in the first innings, was dismissed in almost identical fashion as compared to Gill. Both were caught in two minds and could not decide whether to play or leave.

Gill is young and bound to make mistakes. Pujara, on the other hand, with all his experience, should have done a lot better. He also threw his wicket away in the second innings trying to play an uncharacteristic shot over the wicketkeeper’s head.

While the top three were supposed to lay down the platform for the likes of Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja, they collapsed instead. Kohli himself looked solid on both occasions, but made a fatal error on the fifth day that began India’s final, sharp slide towards defeat.

Now, it’s thinking time for India. Once again, they have fallen short in a knockout match at an ICC event, creating some uncertainty in the minds of some fans as to how they will fare at this year’s ODI World Cup at home.

Where they go from here will be interesting to see.