Team India had a challenging start to the World Test Championship final against Australia, as the latter finished Day 1 on a strong note with a score of 327/3 at Stumps. Travis Head stood out with an impressive century, remaining unbeaten on 146 runs from just 156 deliveries. On the other end, Steve Smith continued to frustrate the Indian bowlers, needing only five more runs to reach his own century.
India had initially gained momentum after captain Rohit Sharma chose to bowl at The Oval. They secured an early wicket, dismissing Usman Khawaja for a duck in the fourth over of the match. David Warner (43) also fell just before lunch, and Mohammed Shami provided a crucial breakthrough at the beginning of the second session by removing the dangerous Marnus Labuschagne, who had scored 26.
Although India appeared to have the upper hand, Travis Head unleashed a counter-attacking display, taking on the pacers. Meanwhile, Steve Smith patiently built his innings, punishing loose deliveries when given the chance. The pair remained unbeaten at the end of the day, prompting former India captain Sourav Ganguly to express his disappointment with Rohit’s captaincy, suggesting that he allowed Australia to regain control by conceding “easy runs.”
“India will be somewhat disappointed. They had Australia at 76/3 and let them off the hook. I understand that partnerships occur in cricket, and the batting team can bounce back. After lunch, I thought India started well, but as the game progressed, they lost their edge,” remarked Ganguly when Australia reached 170/3 at tea.
“Travis Head was allowed to settle in too easily. Despite his good form and runs, Australia was 76/3. I believe Rohit Sharma’s field placements at that stage allowed for some easy runs, and now Australia finds themselves in a favorable position,” Ganguly further emphasized.
Both teams are vying for their maiden WTC title, with India aiming to avoid a repeat of the heartbreak they experienced in the inaugural final against New Zealand in 2021.