Manjrekar Calls India's 2023 World Cup Final Pitch Choice a Blunder in New JioHotstar Episode

His JioHotstar remarks renew scrutiny of India's big‑game strategy under Rohit Sharma with Rahul Dravid as coach.

Overview

Sanjay Manjrekar said India erred by opting for a slow Ahmedabad surface for the 2023 ODI World Cup final and criticized leadership for excessive off‑field control.
He argued the lack of pace off the pitch blunted late‑overs hitters such as Suryakumar Yadav, reducing a potential finishing advantage.
In that final, India posted 240 before Australia won behind Travis Head’s counterattacking century after slipping to 47 for 3.
Sunil Gavaskar praised Rohit Sharma’s tournament approach, highlighting aggressive starts that set the batting template during the home campaign.
Aaron Finch and Eoin Morgan pointed to fear and a loss of bravery in India’s 2022 T20 World Cup semifinal, while Harbhajan Singh attributed the 2023 final defeat to pressure shifting the team’s focus.