WTC Final: After Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar questions Rohit Sharma & Co's decision

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has joined the list of former cricketers who have criticized India skipper Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid for keeping offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin from the playing XI in the WTC 2023 final that India lost to Australia. Ravichandran Ashwin is currently ranked world No 1 test bowler, according to ICC. Australia won the match by 209 runs. It has been 10 years now since India won an ICC trophy. The Champions Trophy in 2013 remains India's last victory in a global event.

"There were some good moments for Team India, but I fail to understand the exclusion of Ravichandran Ashwin in the playing XI, who is currently the number one Test bowler in the world. Like I had mentioned before the match, skillful spinners don’t always rely on turning tracks, they use drift in the air and bounce off the surface to disguise their variations. Not to forget, Australia had 5 left-handers out of their top 8 batters," Tendulkar tweeted.

The was the second consecutive loss for India in World Test Championship finals after Virat Kohli's side lost to New Zealand in 2021.


Speaking on-air for Star Sports, former India captain Sourav Ganguly has also been critical of the team's decision to drop Ravichandran Ashwin from the XI.

Ravichandran Ashwin is currently world's top ranked test bowler, according to ICC rankings. In 92 tests,
Ashwin has 474 Test wickets at an average of 23.93. He has also taken 114 wickets at 28.36 against Australia, the most of any spinner in history, according to Australian Associated Press. Ashwin also has five Test centuries to his name.

Australian legend Steve Waugh was also critical of India's selection call. Speaking to Australian Associated Press, recalled how Australia made a similar error in the fifth Test at The Oval in 2019, in a match England won. "We made the same blunder four years ago in the Ashes. The Oval is always tricky. It looks green on top but underneath it is crumbly and a bit dry. I do think (India) have picked the wrong side. Spin will play a big part in this Test match and it is going to be up and down," he said.