'Fake Confidence by Winning on Bad Pitches': Harbhajan Singh Blasts Indian Team After WTC Final Defeat

India qualified for the final of the ICC World Test Championship final by ensuring a second spot in the standings. They lost to Australia in the summit clash, a team they beat 2-1 during the Border Gavaskar Trophy at home earlier this year.

The BGT 2023 was played on spin-friendly pitches with the likes of Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin and Nathan Lyon dominating. Even Australian rookies including Todd Murphy and Matthew Kuhnemann produced eye-catching displays on rank turners.

The matches hardly lasted three days, barring the fourth which went the distance and ended in a draw.

Legendary spinner Harbhajan Singh has claimed the Indian team were carrying ‘fake confidence’ on the back of dominating performances on pitches where the ball starts turning from the first session itself.

He said the players will have to learn how to work hard for five days to win a Test match.

“You cannot give yourself that fake confidence after playing and winning matches on bad pitches where the ball starts spinning from ball one,” Harbhajan told Star Sports. “You will have to develop a habit of working hard for five days. Only then you will find yourself prepared better for these big matches.”

India opted to bowl first after winning the toss in the WTC final played at The Oval in London. Centuries from Travis Head and Steve Smith helped Australia to 469-all out before their pacers limited India to 296.

Armed with a big lead of 173, Australia extended it to 443 before declaring and then swiftly dealt with the Indian batters to have them bowled out for 234 and record a massive 209-run win.

Harbhajan, who played 103 Tests between 1998 and 2015, pointed out how Indian fast bowlers didn’t have enough overs under their belt in the lead up to the contest thanks to the pitches back home.

“Fast bowlers do not get to bowl much on these pitches, spinners are used right from the first over. There are a lot of things we should rectify,” Harbhajan said.

India will start their next WTC cycle with a two-match Test series in the Caribbean.