Following their disappointing loss to Australia by 209 runs in the World Test Championship Final, the Indian cricket team has faced criticism from West Indian cricket icon Sir Andy Roberts. This condemnation comes shortly after their defeat to New Zealand in the 2021 finale.
Andy Robers slams arrogant Indians
“There is this arrogance which has crept into Indian cricket and through this, India have underestimated the rest of the world. India must decide what their focus is: Test cricket or limited overs cricket. T20 cricket will run its course. There is no contest between bat and ball there,” Roberts told mid-day in an interview from Antigua on Tuesday.
He further went on to add: “I expected India to show their batting strength. I saw no bright spot in the final although Ajinkya Rahane fought hard; got hit on his hand. Shubman Gill looks good when he plays those shots, but he stands on leg stump and is often dismissed bowled or caught behind. He has good hands, but he must get behind the ball. Virat Kohli, though, got a brute of a delivery from Mitchell Starc in the first innings. India have some very good players mind you, but they have not performed creditably away from home.”
Expressing his astonishment, West Indian cricket legend Sir Andy Roberts criticised the decision to bench Ravichandran Ashwin for the game, labeling it as 'ridiculous' and 'unbelievable'.
Questions raised over decision making
The Indian cricket team faced strong reactions from several former Indian players following their defeat.
After reclaiming the World No. 1 test ranking from Australia with a 2-1 victory in their previous four-Test series, India's performance at the neutral Oval was lacklustre. Despite winning the toss and encountering favorable bowling conditions on the first morning, India failed to capitalise and found themselves chasing the game. Numerous experts highlighted that India never truly gained control of the match after opting to bowl first following their toss win.
