On the opening day of the WTC final in London, Rohit Sharma won the toss and chose to field under overcast conditions at the Oval. While India had an early breakthrough with Usman Khawaja departing for a duck, David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne started rebuilding the Australian innings.
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However, Shardul Thakur’s delivery claimed the wicket of Warner, thanks to an exceptional diving catch by KS Bharat. Mohammed Shami later removed Labuschagne with a magnificent inswinging delivery. Nevertheless, the game shifted in Australia’s favor when Travis Head and Steve Smith took the crease.
Australia Takes Commanding Lead as Travis Head and Steve Smith Shine in WTC Final
Head displayed a remarkable ability to score runs effortlessly, while Smith played at his own steady pace. The duo forged an impressive partnership of 251 runs before stumps, firmly establishing Australia’s dominance.
By the end of the day’s play, Australia had reached 327/3, with Head scoring a sparkling 146 off just 156 balls and Smith contributing a patient 95 off 227 balls. Pat Cummins’ side now holds a commanding position in the match.
Despite India’s initial success in reducing Australia to 76/3, Sourav Ganguly, the former BCCI president, expressed his dissatisfaction with the Indian team’s performance. Ganguly believed that Rohit Sharma’s field placements allowed Travis Head to escape from a potentially difficult situation.
Ganguly acknowledged Head’s good form but felt that India missed an opportunity to put pressure on the Australian batsman when they were still struggling. According to Ganguly, the field placement wasn’t attacking, they kept leaking singles on good balls which allowed Australia to take the initiative in building a small momentum.
While talking on air Sourav Ganguly said:
India will be a bit disappointed. They had Australia at 76/3 and let them get off the hook. I know that partnerships happen in cricket. There will be a batting team who will come back and play well. I thought India started well just after Lunch but lost the feel a bit as the game progressed
As the second day approaches, Rohit Sharma and the Indian team will be eager to make a fresh start and quickly pick up some early wickets to regain control of the match. Failing to do so might make it challenging for India to contain Travis Head and Australia, who currently hold a significant advantage in the WTC final.