'Arrogant India...': West Indies legend slams Rohit Sharma and co after WTC Final loss vs Australia

Renowned West Indies cricketer, Sir Andy Roberts, has expressed his disappointment with the Indian cricket team's performance in the World Test Championship Final against Australia. The team, led by Rohit Sharma, appeared unprepared for the summit clash, resulting in a below-par performance. In contrast, Australia dominated the match, claiming the mace with a resounding 209-run victory.

Following the defeat, the Indian team faced criticism for their team selection and approach, which left them no match for the Australian side. This loss marks yet another heartbreak for the Asian Giants in ICC tournaments, as they have not won an ICC trophy since 2013.

Sir Andy Roberts has suggested that India may have underestimated the rest of the world, and that arrogance may have crept into their approach.

“There is this arrogance which has crept into Indian cricket and through this, India have underestimated the rest of the world. India must decide what their focus is—Test cricket or limited overs cricket. T20 cricket will run its course. There is no contest between bat and ball there,” Roberts told mid-day.

India struggled to keep up with Australia's pace, as their batters appeared unprepared for the challenges of red-ball cricket in English conditions. Only Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur were able to surpass the 50-run mark, leaving much to be desired from the rest of the Indian team.

In discussing India's batting performance during the WTC Final, Roberts expressed his disappointment, stating that he failed to see any notable strengths in this department.

“I expected India to show their batting strength. I saw no bright spot in the final although Ajinkya Rahane fought hard; got hit on his hand. Shubman Gill looks good when he plays those shots, but he stands on leg stump and is often dismissed bowled or caught behind. He has good hands, but he must get behind the ball. Virat Kohli, though, got a brute of a delivery from Mitchell Starc in the first innings. India have some very good players mind you, but they have not performed creditably away from home,” said Roberts.

The team management faced scrutiny for their decision to drop Ravichandran Ashwin from the XI for the WTC final. Roberts also joined the chorus of critics who slammed the decision.

“Dropping Ashwin was ridiculous. How can you not pick your best spinner? Unbelievable, the think-tank’s decision to pick four quick bowlers (Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Shardul Thakur) appeared fine to him except the fact that not one of those four is very tall. “That would have made a difference in terms of bounce,” said Roberts.

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