India lost the World Test Championship (WTC) final 2023 to Australia by 209 runs at The Oval in London on Sunday. This was India’s second consecutive defeat in the WTC final, after losing to New Zealand in 2021.

There were several reasons for India’s loss, but three of the most important were poor captaincy, poor bowling, and an inability to build partnerships.

Poor Captaincy

India captain Rohit Sharma made a number of questionable decisions during the match, which ultimately cost his team. For example, he chose to bowl which is unusual in red-ball cricket. This gave Australia the advantage of batting first on a fresh wicket. The Australian batter avail themselves of the batting pitch and gathered massive 469 runs in the first inning.

Poor Bowling

India’s bowlers were also largely ineffective throughout the match. They were unable to take wickets as the Australian middle order stood tall on the wicket, which allowed Australia to build a solid foundation for their innings. They also struggled to contain Australia’s batsmen, who scored at a healthy rate throughout the match.

Inability to Build Partnerships

India’s batsmen also struggled to build partnerships. They lost wickets at regular intervals, which made it difficult for them to set a competitive total. Only Ajinkya Rahanr and Ravindra Jadeja looked stable in the first inning, however, both were able to put on any significant partnerships, and they were both dismissed. In the second inning, captain Sharma strived but went out eventually.

What Can India Do to Improve?

India can improve their chances of winning future WTC finals by making some changes to their team and their approach to the game.

Team Changes

India could consider making some changes to their team, such as bringing in a more experienced spinner or a faster bowler. They could also consider dropping one of their openers, who have struggled in recent matches.

Also, Ashwin, who is the most successful spinner in the world also given the deserving chance.

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