India were left with a no-win proposition heading into the World Test Championship Final against Australia, dropping the world No. 1 ranked bowler Ravichandran Ashwin.
Facing a green top at The Oval, India chose to go with a four-pronged pace bowling attack for the match, with all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja getting the nod over Ashwin.
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It would have been a brutal call either way as Jadeja is currently ranked the world’s No. 1 all-rounder — ahead of Ashwin in second.
In the past two years of the World Test Championship, Ashwin took 61 wickets — third overall — and an average of 19.67 — the second best for a bowler having bowled more than 250 overs.
Jadeja on the other hand was 12th for wickets with 43 and ninth in the world for average (with more than 250 overs) at 23.23 and is overall ranked ninth in the Test bowling rankings.
With bat in hand, it was a different story. Jadeja plundered two centuries and 673 runs at an average of 37.38, while Ashwin had 444 runs at 23.36.
As the opening session of the opening day continued, the cloud cover burned off and the wicket began to look good for the batters.
India could have done well with the spin twins as well, particularly later in the match, as in the last 10 years according to Sportstar, spinners had been effective in third and fourth innings.
While spinners had averaged 50.4 in the first innings and 36.38 in the second, it dropped to 26.69 in third innings and 26.46 in fourth innings.
Pace bowlers went the other way — 26.97 in 1st innings, 28.05 in 2nd, 31.13 in 3rd and 33.72 in 4th innings.
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting believes India will come to rue leaving Ashwin out of the side.
“India have made a mistake of picking a bowling attack just for first innings of the game,” Ponting said.
“Australia have many left-handers. Ashwin would trouble the left-handers more than Jadeja. I saw the grass, yes there was grass but the deeper I looked, it seemed dry to me.”
Ponting added on Channel 7: “Now that they’ve won the toss and bowled, (India) want to do some damage with this new ball. Because as this game goes on, I think it will turn and they would’ve wanted Ashwin to spin this ball away from the Australian left-handers and he’s not there.”
At the lunch break on Channel 7, Justin Langer agreed that it may prove to be a wrong decision.
“Big call, huge call,” Langer said of the decision. “There looked like a lot of grass on the wicket but he’s the number one bowler in the world.
“As this game progresses don’t be surprised if it becomes the talking point of the Test match, why didn’t Ravi get selected.”
It’s already become a talking point as fans pointed out he was running the drinks and sharing his opinion with captain Rohit Sharma.
After lunch, the sun was shining and the commentators agreed it was a lot drier than expected.
Matthew Hayden said India had overcomplicated their selection by not picking their best bowler.
“Sitting in that Australian dressing-room, they would love the fact India have played to their strengths. Four fast bowlers,” Hayden said in commentary.
“Australians are never worried about fast bowlers. They are used to playing those their entire lives since they were boys.
“As men, spin has always been that one question mark, wherever Australian cricket team has travelled or toured to, always been that question mark around how each and every one of them plays spin.”
Aussie cricket writer Peter Lalor tweeted: “Two hours into WTC Final and India may have got two big parts of the game wrong.
“1. TOSS: The pitch wasn’t what it seemed (seamed) and the overhead conditions have improved significantly.
“2. Possibly one too many seamers, especially as Ashwin is the man who missed out.”
Indian commentator Harsha Bhogle commented: “Bit cold, bit green, bit cloudy. Pity that the best bowler in this #WTC cycle can’t get a game. But the conditions are completely different to the ones in which India qualified …”
At the toss, Sharma said it was a tough call to leave Ashwin out of the side.
“We have four seamers and one spinner: Ravindra Jadeja,” Sharma said.
“It has always been tough. (Ashwin) has been such a matchwinner for us for so many years. Leaving him out is not a great occasion but you have to do things needed for the team.”
In the lead in, Sachin Tendulkar called for India to play Ashwin in the match.
“It need not be always a turning track as sometimes the spinners rely a lot on the bounce, sometimes that little bit of zip that they get off the pitch, also on the overhead conditions and it depends a lot on the shiny side of the ball,” he said via his website 100mbsports.
“If they are able to get that drift, they can make the ball talk in the air without the pitch coming into play. So, Oval is going to be good venue for India.”
