At the 2023 World Cup final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Pat Cummins defied the win-toss-bat-first-in-a-big-match tradition by opting to field.

“It looks a bit of a dry wicket, bowl on it during the day and back ourselves to chase whatever we need to,” Cummins explained at the toss. “Dew is one factor, it gets quite dewy here at night. It feels like this venue has got better and better to bat so hopefully the same today.”

Three of the four matches at the venue in this World Cup were by chasing sides, so there was merit in Cummins’ call. The numbers are clearly stacked up in favour of the chasing sides.

Phase wise stats in Ahmedabad in this World Cup:

PP – 1st innings avg, ER = 31.5, 4.7 | 2nd innings avg, ER = 51, 6.4

Middle – 1st innings avg, ER = 30.75, 5.1 | 2nd innings avg, ER = 54.5, 5.6

Death – 1st innings avg, ER = 15.3, 6.15 | 2nd innings avg, ER = 60.5, 7.8

— Naman Agarwal (@CoverDrivenFor4) November 19, 2023

Indian captain Rohit Sharma, however, had no problems with Cummins’ call: “I’d have batted first, it looks a good pitch, it’s a big game, let’s put runs on the board. It’s going to be amazing.”

However, the move came in for criticism from some quarters, despite the fact that the last three World Cup finals have been won by chasing sides.

Bowl first? Very generous decision, that from the Aussies.

— daniel norcross (@norcrosscricket) November 19, 2023

“I’m not an expert but are Australia overthinking the spin and the dew, hoping that it gets easier to get second? But I am still surprised. I thought it was a certainty that whoever would win the toss would bat,” voiced Prakash Wakankar on BBC Test Match Special.

Brad Haddin – who was part of the Australian XI that lost the 2011 World Cup quarter-final to India while batting first on the same venue, agreed on Fox Sports: “I’m shocked. I thought the Australians would have batted first, put runs on the board in the final and then let the final play out from there.

“Rohit Sharma has obviously read the conditions a lot different to what we did but you get first use of the surface we’re not quite sure how it is going to play but I thought Australia would’ve batted first.”

Others were not as strong in their opinions – though it may be argued whether calling the decision ‘bold’ was in appreciation or criticism:

Having a trundle?! Hooley dooley, that’s ballsy. #CWC2023Final

— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) November 19, 2023

That's a huge call by Pat Cummins#INDvAUS #CWC23

— Andrew McGlashan (@andymcg_cricket) November 19, 2023

Huge call by Cummins to win the toss and bowl… 👀

Very gutsy but makes me nervous as runs on the board in a final are precious.#CricketWorldCup2023

— Menners 🎙 (@amenners) November 19, 2023