It’s India vs Australia in the World Cup final again, 20 years after the thrashing handed out by Ricky Ponting’s Invincibles in Johannesburg. India, under Sourav Ganguly, had been on a high going into the summit clash, having won eight matches in a row. But that Aussie team was in a different league altogether, in the middle of an unbeaten run in the World Cup that started in 1999 and ended in 2011. The hopes and prayers of India fans notwithstanding, the team from Down Under was the clear favourite going into the final, especially as they had absolutely pulverised India earlier in the tournament.
Cut to 2023 and the tables have turned. It’s India who are looking unbeatable. In fact, no team has even come close to them in this World Cup, if one goes by the victory margins. And like India in 2003, it’s the Aussies who have bounced back with eight wins in a row – after defeats to India and South Africa – to make the final. India should be, and are, the favourites, going by the irresistible form, confidence, and panache they have displayed.
But Australia are five-time World Cup winners and one can understand most of the spectators at Eden Gardens on Thursday, watching their tense semifinal against South Africa, rooting for the Proteas believing that they would be an easier opponent for India in Sunday’s showdown. For Indian fans and those worldwide, the word ‘Australia’ signifies big-match temperament and a never-say-die attitude, regardless of the quality of the opposition.
It has been argued that the current Indian outfit is a couple of notches better than the teams that tasted World Cup glory in 1983 and 2011. There are virtually no weak links and loose ends. And as it’s a rematch of the 2003 final, it would be interesting to compare the present Australian line-up to the one that conquered all before it two decades ago.
Openers:
Travis Head and David Warner have been a prolific pair in recent times and often get Australia to a rollicking start. They put on 175 in 19 overs against New Zealand in Dharamsala, and it was their assault at the beginning of the chase in the semifinal (60 runs in 6 overs) that took away any run rate pressure they could have faced, even as they kept losing wickets thereafter.
But Head and Warner don’t seem too reliable as their no-holds-barred approach could turn out to be a double-edged sword. With Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Mohammed Shami making the new ball talk, it’s not a strategy devoid of risk.
The 2003 opening combination of Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist was more reliable without compromising on attacking intent. It was they who took on the Indian bowlers in that final, despite facing some testing conditions, to put them under pressure straight away. They were World champions twice in a row for a reason.
Middle order
The names Ponting, Damien Martyn, Andrew Symonds, Darren Lehmann, and Michael Bevan are enough to give most bowling attacks sleepless nights. If the opposition dismissed one of them, their joy would be short-lived, seeing the next man come in. They were adept at steadying the ship if a wicket, or a few, fell early, as well as increasing the pressure on the opposition if that was the need of the hour. In the 2003 final, India bore the brunt to such an extent that Symonds, Bevan, and Lehmann were not even needed with the bat.
A line-up featuring Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, and Josh Inglis doesn’t sound nearly as intimidating. Smith and Labuschagne are Test stalwarts, but 50-over cricket isn’t their strongest suit. Maxwell has shown in this World Cup that he is capable of achieving the impossible on his day, but by definition, miracles are rare. Marsh has hit two centuries in this tournament but is troubled when the ball starts turning. Inglis showed a good temperament in the semifinal, but the jury is still out on him.
A strong bowling attack like India’s would be confident of getting amongst them.
Tail-end batting
This is one area where Australian sides, down the years, have showcased their resilience. Whether it’s supporting a genuine batsman at the other end or getting some quick runs at the end of the innings, it’s never over till it’s over.
The 2003 side had Brett Lee, Brad Hogg, Andy Bichel, and Glenn McGrath from Nos. 8-11, and while the last of them could be described as a genuine tail-ender, the other three could be relied upon to get valuable runs. Against England, the Aussies were on the ropes at 135/8 chasing 205 for a win, with a little over 12 overs to go. Bichel joined Bevan and his 34 off 36 balls helped the team get home. The two got together again when Kiwi speedster Shane Bond had reduced Australia to 84/7 in the Super Six encounter. This time, their 97-run stand needed more than 20 overs, but took the team to a total they defended convincingly. In the semifinal against Sri Lanka, Bichel’s 19 and the unbeaten 37-run eighth-wicket stand with Symonds was vital.
In 2023, skipper Pat Cummins’ steadying influence amidst Maxwell’s pyrotechniques against Afghanistan and the Netherlands is well documented. Starc and Adam Zampa had a crucial 38-run partnership towards the end of the innings that made the difference against England, and Starc and Cummins were at hand to see them home in the close chase in the semifinal. One can never count the Aussies out.
Bowling
This is an area that’s rarely problematic for Australia. In 2003, McGrath, Lee, Bichel, and Hogg made such an impact that the forced absence of Shane Warne and Jason Gillespie was hardly felt. They got wickets with the new ball, in the middle overs and if any work was left at the death, took care of it too. Symonds could chip in with seam-up or off-spin bowling, as per requirement, and there were Bevan, Lehmann, and Ian Harvey as well.
The Class of 2023 has not been as dominant but has been getting the job done. The pace bowling trio – Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Cummins – had not fired in unison in the league phase, but leg-spinner Zampa did the job with 22 wickets. He had an off-day in the semifinal, but the pacers had done the early damage and Head chipped in with a couple of crucial wickets. Maxwell has been a bit of an unsung hero with the ball, hardly going for too many runs.
In a nutshell, the names in the opposition line-up for Sunday are not likely to fill India fans with too much dread. They will feel quite confident, but the only source of concern can be described in two words: It’s Australia.