"If you take away that partnership, game was totally even": Roger Binny on WTC Final
Jun 11, 2023
London [UK], June 11 : The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Roger Binny believes that India lost the World Test Championship final on the first day after Steve Smith and Travis Head set the tone of the game with their 285-run partnership.
Australia completed the list of ICC accolades after defeating India in the WTC 2023 final by 209 runs. Australia took the opportunities that were present in front of them which allowed them to take firm control over the game. But Roger Binny believes that the Indian team went toe to toe against Australia, the only thing that separated them was Smith and Head's partnership.
While speaking to ANI, the BCCI president said, "We lost the game on the first day itself. The big partnership that Australia put on was what really turned the tables in this game. Otherwise, the game was even. If you take away that partnership, the game was totally even."
The Indian team tried to bounce back after spending time on the receiving end for the majority of the first day. They made a comeback on the second day but their batting performance turned out to be a major disappointment.
India had a bleak opportunity to lift their maiden WTC title with Ajinkya Rahane and Virat Kohli leading the charge with the bat. But, a game-changing over by Scott Boland, which saw him trap Virat for 49 and Ravindra Jadeja for a duck, started India's downfall. Rahane was dismissed by Mitchell Starc for 46 while Srikar Bharat (23) was dismissed by Nathan Lyon.
The Indian batting line-up failed to put up a fight, bundling out for 234 runs in 63.3 overs to hand Australia their first-ever WTC title.
Lyon was the pick of the bowlers for Australia, taking 4/41. Boland took 3/46 while Starc got two wickets. Skipper Pat Cummins got one wicket.
