Ravichandran Ashwin has saluted Australia captain Pat Cummins’ “tactical brilliance and tactical execution” which helped them win their sixth World Cup title in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
“In the final, I don’t know how many people explained it on TV, Cummins bowled to a four-five leg-side field like an off-spinner, bowling the stump line. But he bowled only three balls in the six-meter mark or further up on the pitch in his entire 10-over spell.
“(He) knocked off crucial wickets in the final. The five fielders on the on side were square leg, midwicket, mid-on, deep square leg and long leg, and he bowled his ten overs without a mid-off,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
Cummins did not concede a single boundary during his 10 overs and finished with figures of 2 for 34.
“Cummins’ execution should be applauded,” Ashwin said. “It is easy to plan to bowl to a leg-side field. It is easier to bowl that way in a Test match because the umpires will not call a wide even if you bowl a couple of balls down leg.
“But to not bowl a wide down leg in an ODI, execute the plans with that field and not allow batters to drive the ball is brilliant. In my experience, I have seen bowlers go for at least one or two fours with such a field.
“It was the first time I saw a fast bowler bowl to an off-spinner’s field without a mid-off in a one-day game. Tactical brilliance, tactical execution. They had us there.”
Ashwin also said that the Australians’ decision to field first was a well thought out plan as explained to him by their chief selector George Bailey during the break.
“I was looking at the pitch at innings break when Bailey came around. I asked him why they chose to bowl first when Australia generally bat first in finals,” Ashwin said. “Bailey said, ‘We have played IPL for many years, toured here... As per our experience in India, red soil disintegrates but black soil becomes better to bat under lights. It is tough (to bat) in red soil under lights, too.
“‘In Lucknow against South Africa, the pitch was a red soil one. Under lights, the ball not just seamed but also spun. Even dew does not have much impact on red soil whereas on black soil, the ball turns in the afternoon but becomes patta (flat) like concrete (under lights). That is our experience’.”
