NEW DELHI: Former India cricketer Mohammed Kaif has alleged that India ‘doctored’ the ODI World Cup final pitch against Australia in Ahmedabad. He also blamed skipper Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid for the Men in Blue’s six-wicket defeat.
"I was there for three days. Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid inspected the pitch every day for 3 days ahead of the final. They stood beside the pitch for an hour every day. I saw the pitch change its colour. There was no watering the pitch, no grass on the track. India wanted to give Australia a slow track. This is the truth, even if people don't want to believe it," Kaif said during a show on ‘The Lallantop’.
"The feeling was that Australia had Pat Cummins, and Mitchell Starc, so India wanted to give a slow pitch, and that was our mistake. Many people say that curators do their own thing and we don't influence - that is rubbish. When you are moving around the pitch - you have to say just two lines - please don't put water, just reduce the grass. This happens. That is the truth. And it should be done. You are playing at home. And we did it a little too much," he added.
India had reached the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup with an unbeaten run, having won 10 matches in a row.
After having been asked to bat first in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium on November 19, 2023, a majority of India’s batters failed miserably as they were dismissed for 240.
Travis Head (137) and Marnus Labuschagne (58*) would then help Australia chase down the target with seven overs to spare to clinch a record sixth title.
For the records, ICC's pitch consultant Andy Atinkson had exited the ODI World Cup just ahead of the final - reportedly due to his differences with the BCCI on how the pitch should be for the summit clash.