- Friday, February 28, 2025
Indian players and the management staff members came under heavy criticism after the Asian side faltered in the knock-out of yet another ICC tournament.
By: Shubham Ghosh
INDIA CAPTAIN Rohit Sharma, who has been facing flak after his side was crushed by Australia in the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) final by Australia at The Oval on Sunday (11) by 209 runs, said the team’s mindset and strategy will change completely when it plays the 50-over world cup at home starting in October.
Sharma, who scored 15 and 43 in two essays in the final clash, said India will try to play in a different way during the world cup.
“We will try to give people freedom and not think that we have to win this or that match. We have been thinking that this match is important, this event is important and things are not happening. So obviously, we will have to think differently and do things differently. Our message and focus will be on trying to do something different,” the 36-year-old said.
Indian players and the management staff members, including head coach Rahul Dravid, came under heavy criticism after the Asian side faltered in the knock-out of yet another International Cricket Council tournament, something which it has not won after the Champions Trophy in 2013.
Sharma’s men were outplayed by Australia in the just concluded Test even after they started the match well by picking three Australian wickets for 70-odd runs on the first day morning after asking the Kangaroos to bat first. But centuries from Travis Head and Steve Smith saw Australia overcome the early setback and post a huge total of 469 that proved to be too big for India in the end. The Asians needed to survive the final day with seven wickets in hand while chasing a target of 444 but they fell like ninepins to get bowled out by 234 runs.
Speaking of the match, Sharma said, “If you look at the innings, the way Gill and I started in the second innings, our entire effort was to hit and play and put pressure on them. That’s why we were 60 runs in 10 overs. But if you play with that mindset, chances are you’ll get out. Then the comments and the people who talk about lapse of concentration. There is no lapse of concentration. It’s just that we want to play in a different way. We want to do something different. Obviously, we have played so many ICC tournaments and have not won yet. So, our effort is to play in a different way and try to do something different.”
Sharma and his opening partner Shubman Gill started off well in the second innings, adding 41 runs, but a controversial catch by Cameron Green in the slips saw the end of Gill.
India reached the final of the WTC in 2021 as well but was handed an eight-wicket defeat by New Zealand led by Ken Williamson in Southampton.
