WTC Final: "You Don't Ask For A Best Of Three In The IPL" - Sunil Gavaskar Shuts Down Rohit Sharma's Idea Of A 3-Match Series For WTC Final

WTC Final: “You Don’t Ask For A Best Of Three In The IPL” – Sunil Gavaskar Shuts Down Rohit Sharma’s Idea Of A 3-Match Series For WTC Final

by CA DeskJune 11, 2023

Last Update on: June 11th, 2023 at 11:58 pm

Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar dismissed Rohit Sharma’s suggestion of a three-match series for the WTC Final after India’s defeat to Australia by 209 runs at The Oval on Sunday.

Rohit Sharma had expressed his preference for a three-Test match series for future WTC Finals. He highlighted the team’s hard work and determination, emphasizing that they had only played a single game and suggesting that a three-match final would be more suitable for the next WTC cycle.

Responding to Rohit’s proposal, Sunil Gavaskar, in an interview with India Today, pointed out that the format of a one-off final had been decided long before the start of the WTC cycle. Sunil Gavaskar drew a parallel with the IPL, questioning whether players would request a “best of three” format for that tournament.

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“No. This has been decided for a long time, you know even before you enter that first match of the cycle that the final is going to be just one-off. So, you have to be prepared mentally. Just like you prepare for the IPL, you don’t say best of three. Everybody can have a bad day, or a couple of days, but before the first ball of the cycle you know what it is. So, you can’t be asking for a best of three. Tomorrow, you may say best of five,” Sunil Gavaskar expressed.

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During the WTC Final’s fifth day, both teams initially struggled as Australia’s accurate bowling was met with composed batting from Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane. However, in the seventh over, Scott Boland’s precise delivery led to Kohli’s dismissal as he edged the ball, which was caught by Steve Smith. Boland continued his success by dismissing Ravindra Jadeja in a similar manner, caught by Alex Carey. Although Boland narrowly missed out on another wicket, his early breakthroughs set the stage for Australia’s dominance.

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Despite a 33-run partnership between Rahane and KS Bharat, Australia’s bowling attack remained relentless. Rahane fell to Mitchell Starc in the 57th over, followed by Shardul Thakur’s dismissal by Nathan Lyon in the subsequent over, leaving India vulnerable. With India’s lower order exposed, Australia secured victory in the 64th over, with Nathan Lyon and Scott Boland being the standout bowlers in the second innings.

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Sunil Gavaskar’s comments emphasized the predetermined nature of the one-off final in the WTC cycle, suggesting that players should be mentally prepared for such a format. He also drew a comparison to the IPL, where teams do not request a “best of three” series despite the possibility of having off days.