The Ultimate Test: Ravichandran Ashwin Ignored by Rohit Sharma

India and Australia clashed in the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) at The Oval, with the talking point of the game being the World No.1 bowler Ravichandran Ashwin. Rohit Sharma had chosen to leave Ashwin out of his playing XI, opting instead for four seamers in anticipation of the green top surface and the overcast conditions.

Rohit’s Selection Justified in the First Hour

The decision by Rohit seemed to be paying off in the first hour of the match. Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj were able to get the new Dukes ball to swing and seam prodigiously, leading to Usman Khawaja’s dismissal. Both David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne were lucky to survive on a few occasions.

Rohit’s Decision Questioned as the Sun Came Out

As the sun came out, India was left with a dilemma. The conditions had changed drastically and Rohit’s decision to leave out Ravichandran Ashwin was being questioned. He was seen walking in with drinks, as the Indian team began to regret their template of four-seamers on foreign soil.

Conclusion

Rohit Sharma’s decision to leave out Ravichandran Ashwin for the WTC Final seemed to be justified in the first hour, as the seamers got the ball to swing and seam prodigiously. However, the conditions changed drastically as the sun came out, leaving India to regret the decision to go with four seamers on foreign soil.