India’s defeat in the World Test Championship final against Australia continues to attract criticism, with the team being scrutinized for their consistent failures in ICC knockouts. Since the 2013 Champions Trophy, India has missed out on eight opportunities to secure an ICC title, including two WTC finals. The inability of a team boasting exceptional match-winners to win a major event remains a perplexing mystery that even the greatest minds have been unable to decipher.

In the aftermath of the heavy defeat, strong reactions have been pouring in from various quarters, including former West Indies pace legend Andy Roberts. Roberts, known for being part of the famous Windies pace quartet and one of the greatest fast bowlers of his time, criticized India’s performance, attributing it to arrogance and overconfidence. Amidst the ongoing IPL versus national team debate, Roberts emphasized the need for India to establish their priorities.

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“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,” Andy Roberts told Mid-Day.

Andy Roberts further commented on the lackluster batting display by India in the final. While he acknowledged Ajinkya Rahane’s resilience despite getting hit on his hand and Shubman Gill’s potential, he highlighted Gill’s tendency to stand on the leg stump, leading to dismissals bowled or caught behind. Roberts also noted that Virat Kohli fell victim to a fierce delivery from Mitchell Starc in the first innings.

Although India possesses talented players, their performance away from home has not been satisfactory, according to Andy Roberts. India’s repeated failures to put up a fight in crucial matches have been the most disheartening aspect.

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Whether it be the Champions Trophy final in 2017, the 2019 World Cup semi-final, the WTC final in 2021, or the T20 World Cup in Australia in 2022, a pattern detrimental to the team’s success has emerged. When India faced the daunting task of chasing down the highest successful fourth innings total, Roberts had little hope. “I harbored no such hopes. I knew they would collapse. The batting in both innings was bad,” he concluded.