There was a time in the 2023 World Cup when the Australian team finished last in the points table after losing both their opening games lopsidedly. After such a performance, few would have thought that the Kangaroo team would even reach the semi-finals. But from then on, Australia gradually changed its attitude and not only secured a place in the semi-finals, but also defeated the World Cup favorites, India, in the final. Throughout this journey, Australia has shown the world how to become world champions.
Australia had reached the final of this World Cup by registering many narrow victories. Last-ball victory in the league game against New Zealand, victory against Afghanistan with a 200-run partnership for the eighth wicket and then victory in difficult conditions against South Africa in the semi-final. These were some such exciting victories that gave Australia the strength to keep courage in difficult times and then passed on the experience of their entire journey in the World Cup final. In the World Cup final, it defeated the same team India that had defeated it badly in the league match.
Australia had done excellent homework in the World Cup final against Team India. Their strategy looked different against each batsman. Australian bowlers kept most of the balls ‘behind the length’ which left the Indian batsmen in trouble. This style of bowling was done because the batsmen at the Big Boundary Stadium in Ahmedabad did not want to take the risk of playing big shots with such balls and also it was not easy to rotate the strike on such balls. This means he had done a lot of homework to take advantage of both the Indian batsmen and the size of the pitch.
The Australian team won the toss and elected to bowl first. Rohit Sharma, on the other hand, had told of his biased intention of choosing to bat first after winning the toss. Here Australia’s decision proved to be the right one. Although the spinners didn’t have much to do in the first innings of the game, the ball didn’t come on the bat easily either. On the contrary, the dew made Australia’s batting easier in the second innings. Even Indian spinners couldn’t harm Australia in the dew.
Pat Cummins’ captaincy executed the team’s overall game plan well on the field. According to the batsmen, he switched bowlers very well. Instead of playing according to the conditions, he himself created the conditions in the game. Their fast bowlers bowled more cutter balls so the ball aged quickly and the Indian batsmen could be prevented from scoring quick runs with the help of reverse swing at the end. Pat Cummins carried out all his plans well.