How pitch tactic for World Cup final backfired on India

Sluggish track where there should've been a belter? BCCI's smart surface plan ends up biting Team India

- Ashish Magotra

Home advantage is a term used to describe the benefit the hosts have over the visitors in team sport. This could mean the fans cheering in the stands, unique insight into the pitch, and an understanding of the ground in terms of conditions and dimensions.

One might reckon that home advantage shouldn’t have mattered to this Indian team. They were on a 10-match winning streak, and the level of their play was leaving their opponents awestruck. Going into the final in Ahmedabad, the top five had averaged 67.6 collectively. The pacers were scything through opponents. The spinners were doing way more than holding up one end. And there were all in form, with no visible chinks in the armour.

Then, why did the Board of Control for Cricket in India feel the need to nudge the curator of the Narendra Modi Stadium pitch to prepare a wicket that can only be described as dry and slow? Did they fear their own side needed that assistance? Were they afraid of Australia’s big-match prowess? Or were they trying to be too smart by half?

As the Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne stand pushed India into a corner, former Australia cricket captain Ricky Ponting, during TV commentary, reckoned that India’s pitch ploy “backfired on them”.