Ashish Ranjan
Matthew Hayden criticized Team India after their forgettable performance on Day 1 of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia at The Oval in London. After winning the toss and electing to bowl first, India made a promising start by claiming three wickets in rapid succession. However, Travis Head and Steve Smith forged a remarkable 251*-run partnership off 370 deliveries as Australia scored 327 runs on Day 1 to gain momentum.
When questioned about Team India’s performance on the first day, the former Australian opener Hayden criticized Rohit and his compatriots for not showing up on the first day of the championship event. The 51-year-old stated that chest-beating during the national anthem serves no purpose. He added that India lacked enthusiasm after electing to bowl first in the WTC championship match.
“pounding your chest during the national anthem or the Australians pounding their chest during the national anthem serves no purpose. You expand your ribcage in the middle. Yesterday, there was insufficient energy from India. “If they don’t turn up and hunt us as a pack, Australia will be dominated once again by this partnership,” Hayden said on Star Sports.
Hayden continued by stating that team India’s best sides adhered to a strategy and hunted as a pack. He also stated that India will be dominated in the first session if they do not show up on the second day. From the perspective of Australia, they will dominate this Test match, he added.
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“India’s top sides used to do precisely that. Adhere to a strategy and pursue as a pack. From an Australian perspective, there are many similarities. If India does not show up today, continue to bowl short and behind the line. If they continue to be cut and go over the third man, they will be dominated in the first session. If they are dominated in the first session, Australia will dominate the remainder of this Test match. It is going to disappear so rapidly. So runs must be difficult to obtain,” the former Australian cricketer said.
