‘Big game, put runs on the board’: Rohit Sharma’s mantra as India bat first in World Cup final | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: In the highly anticipated ICC ODI World Cup final between India and Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Australia captain Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to bowl, sending the hosts in to bat first.
Despite not winning the toss, India captain Rohit Sharma expressed contentment with the outcome, as he had preferred to bat first in the high-pressure game.
Scorecard: India vs Australia
“I would have batted first. Looks a good pitch, big game, puts runs on the board,” Rohit remarked during the toss.

He also acknowledged the enthusiastic Ahmedabad crowd, stating, “It’s going to be amazing, every time we play here, the crowd comes out in large numbers. The biggest occasion in the cricketing event.”
Revealing that there would be no changes in the playing eleven, Rohit emphasised the importance of staying calm in the final.

“We have to stay nice and calm. It’s a dream come true to be captaining the team in the final. I know what lies in front of us. We need to play well and get the result. You have to make the right decisions on the field. That’s something we’ve done consistently in the last 10 games. We are playing the same team,” he added.

Cummins, explaining the decision to bowl first, cited the dry wicket and the factor of dew.
“We are gonna have a bowl first. Looks like a dry wicket. Dew is a factor. It gets better to bat on. Tough start to the tournament, haven’t really put a foot wrong ever since. It’s all set up perfectly. We’ve played these guys a lot. Same team as the semi-final,” Cummins said.

The stage is now set for a riveting encounter between two cricketing powerhouses, with India aiming to set a formidable total and Australia seeking to make early inroads in the final. The decision to bat first adds an intriguing dynamic to the much-anticipated clash.