Harbhajan Singh criticised the pitch that was used in Ahmedabad for the final of the World Cup 2023, which saw Australia beat India by six wickets.
During the final, the slow nature of the pitch became a crucial factor in the gameplay. India’s strategy did not adapt well to the changing conditions in the second innings, failing to capitalize on the slower pitch.
The Indian team aimed for a score around 280, but the pitch slowed down and the ball softened under the afternoon sun, making scoring difficult. This was reflected in the post-match presentation where Indian captain Rohit Sharma acknowledged the team’s batting difficulties.
Cricket legends like Brett Lee, Ricky Ponting, and Wasim Akram suggested that the decision to prepare a slow pitch might have backfired for India, as Australia read the conditions better and executed their plans effectively. The slow wicket took away advantage of India’s pacers, who had been in excellent form throughout the tournament. In contrast, the Australian batsmen, notably Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne, capitalized on the pitch conditions, forming a partnership that steered Australia to victory.
Speaking to India Today, Harbhajan felt that if the pitch was on the quicker side, it would have assisted the Indian batters a lot more.
“I think it was the kind of pitch which was on the slower side. It was drier than the usual pitch. You know, I would have liked to see a pitch where a lot of scores like 300 plus been scored. That sort of pitch would have India more than this kind of pitch where, you know, you bring your opposition in the game.”
“You know where your batters were in such great form. They looked really good throughout the tournament, and they were fantastic and very, very proud of them. The way they play their cricket. I think, a slightly better pitch would help them to perform better than what happened,” said Harbhajan.
When asked if India would have won the final if it had been played on a better track, Harbhajan agreed with it and said that the Indian batters would have enjoyed more on such a wicket.
“Yeah, most definitely. I believe India was the superior side. You ask anyone. Yesterday before the game, I spoke to a couple of my Aussie friends who I played with in my era. And all of them, they said, India is just top side, and it will be India all the way, But, of course, the Australian team they came out with the plan, they executed well, and they played fantastic cricket.”
“And, of course, if the wicket was on slightly on a better side, one with the ball coming nicely onto the bat, Uh, you know, I think, we would have enjoyed more,” said Harbhajan.
