Its been a week since the final of ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. Australia demonstrated their cricketing domination in big events - yet again. While most of Indian cricket fans brushed aside the team's surrender to Australia in semis, others found comfort in a tepid final where New Zealand succumbed to Australia, just like India did. Thus stamping their belief that Australia was invincible playing in their home conditions. Many would laugh at comparing the champion Australia side with any other side that played in the World Cup. When victorious, others look small. But there is more strategy to Australian campaign than the players in this World Cup.
Australia had a good batting side and brilliant fielders - so did India, South Africa and Sri Lanka. But what it had more were the left arm seamers. Johnson, Starc and Faulkner. It has to be mentioned that most of the world's frontline batsmen are right handers and they are more comfortable playing right arm seamers. Moreso in case of India, where batsmen are good around their legs and susceptible to the leaving ball. Left arm seamers bowl at an angle which takes the ball away from the body.
Lets talk about the performance of left arm seamers in this world cup.
Mitchell Starc was astoundingly accurate if one talks about delivering the toe crushers and rattling the stumps. Trent Boult was equally impressive - had Australians at sea during the league encounter in New Zealand. Wahab Riaz too disturbed the Aussies in their chase of 213 laboured by Pakistan. So much was the threat posted by Riaz that Watson had to acknowledge it was his most important innings in one dayers - he was so lucky not to get out. While these were the bowlers who made their presence felt first up; Mitchell Johnson saved it for the clash against India. He stole the match from India - both in terms of batting and bowling. His scalp of Kohli and Rohit - deflated Indian confidence to chase the 300+ total. More so because the batsmen were found wanting on both occasions.
Watching Shikhar Dhawan's batting in semi finals, I believe India could have done it if he was there till the end. Only he looked to counterattack Aussie left arm seamers. While there was lack of aggression in other Indian batsmen, it can be assumed that the confidence and technique to face left arm seamers was missing. Almost all Indian right handed batsmen - Rohit, Kohli, Dhoni have issue with the leaving ball.
India lost the control when Shikhar Dhawan got out in 13th over. But a better chance was thrown away by Pakistan - that dolly 'dropped' catch of Shane Watson just handed over the trophy to Australia. Australian scoreboard would have read 83/4 had Watson been taken, but that simple miss frustrated Pakistan and Aussies won by 6 wickets. Given what Wahab and Boult did to Australia, one may not be surprised if India come up with a new left arm seamer to tackle Australian batsmen - on foreign pitches that assist pace bowling. While this idea must be played with, one may be reminded what happen to India when it had two left arm seamers and one Javagal Srinath. Cricket World Cup 2003 final - Where Zaheer and Srinath were tonked by Ponting and company. Remember there were two left handed batsmen - Gilchrist and Hayden who had dented Zaheer Khan's rhythm. Nehra was ok in his spell while Srinath leaked many runs.
