Team India may have failed to cross the final hurdle in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, but Rohit Sharma impressed one and all with his leadership and batting in the showpiece tournament.
Under Rohit’s captaincy, India defeated all nine opponents comprehensively in the league stage before beating New Zealand in the first semi-final. However, Australia outplayed the home team in the title clash to lift the World Cup for the record-extending sixth time.
The pitch for the tournament final in Ahmedabad was exceedingly slow. Hence, many felt that India should have fielded an extra spinner in R Ashwin. However, Ashwin has no qualms that Rohit didn’t pick him in the playing XI for the summit clash.
Speaking to former India cricketer S Badrinath on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said Rohit did not have any reason to change the winning combination that had done so well throughout the tournament.
"As far as I am concerned, I playing the final, team combination and all that is secondary. Firstly, it's about empathy, I keep stressing it a lot. It's about standing in someone else's shoes and looking at things from his/her viewpoint. If I had been in Rohit's shoes, I would have thought 100 times about changing the combination. It was going very well for the team. Why would I rest a fast bowler and play 3 spinners?" Ashwin said.
The off-spinner featured in only one match during the World Cup 2023. It was India’s tournament opener against Australia at Chepauk and Ashwin returned with the figures of 1/34 in his 10 overs.
"Honestly, I was able to understand the thought process of Rohit Sharma. Playing the final is a big opportunity. I was preparing for it for 3 days in the lead-up. I was not replying to a lot of people. I read only the ticker of WhatsApp messages and kept my phone away," Ashwin further stated.
"I was preparing myself well for the opportunity. At the same time, I was prepared to cheer for the team and run in with electral if I didn't get the opportunity. I was mentally prepared for that too," he added.
Ashwin also spoke about the pitch controversy in the semi-final and final of the marquee event. He said India did not demand pitches according to their preference, while also adding that ground staff and ICC had the final call on the pitches to be used for the match.
"In the entire tournament, I can't say that any team wanted pitches of their preference. I don't think so. They had decided on surfaces to be played before. After that, the groundsmen took the call. When we played against Pakistan, the surface did not look that black. Maybe after that, the change in weather, the change in temperature, the surface had lost some grass. I don't think it played like how it looked," Ashwin said.
"The only differential factor was the moisture on the wicket in the evening. After the clay wicket took in the moisture, it got a lot better," he concluded on the matter.
