In the final of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) against Australia at The Oval, India faced a crushing defeat, succumbing to a 209-run loss in the one-off Test. Chasing a target of 444, the Indian team was dismissed for 234, with none of their batters managing to surpass the fifty-run mark in the pursuit.
During Australia’s first innings, the partnership between Travis Head and Steve Smith proved to be a turning point. The duo skilfully negotiated the Indian bowlers and constructed an impressive 285-run partnership for the fourth wicket. This significant collaboration propelled Australia to a formidable total of 469 runs.
Expressing his perspective on India’s defeat, BCCI President Roger Binny stated that Rohit and his teammates suffered the loss right from the opening day of the match. He specifically highlighted the impressive performances by Head and Smith, which ultimately shifted the momentum in the game. Binny further emphasized that if that partnership had been broken, the match would have been evenly poised.
“We lost the game on the first day itself. The big partnership that Australia put on was what really turned the tables in this game. Otherwise, the game was even. If you take away that partnership, the game was totally even,” Binny was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.
The ex-cricketer went on to encourage Team India to maintain a positive outlook and concentrate on the upcoming 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup. The tournament is set to take place in India between October and November of this year.
“We have something bigger coming up in the future so we have to keep our spirits up and make sure that we do well in the World Cup and it’s at home. So that is important,” he added.
