'IPL or WTC Final?, Ravi Shastri criticizes BCCI after India's dismal show in WTC Final

Ravi Shastri believes Indian players should set their priorities straight when it comes to choosing between the Indian Premier League and national duties. India's tendency to falter at crucial stages continues to hamper them as their poor show in the World Test Championship final against Australia is another example of their glaring failure. The men in blue have failed to lift an ICC trophy since their Champions Trophy triumph back in 2013.

Except for Cheteshwar Pujara, all the other players were busy representing their respective franchises in the cash-rich tournament. Australian players arrived in England much earlier to acclimatise themselves to the conditions, while Indian players boarded their flight to the UK in a number of groups. FIFA does have very stringent rules in place for clubs if they don't release players who are called up by their countries.

Ravi Shastri furious over BCCI following WTC debacle

The likes of Shubman Gill, Mohammed Shami and Ajinkya Rahane were the last to reach London after Chennai Super Kings knocked out Gujarat Titans in a nail-biting IPL 2023 final.

Former Indian team head coach Shastri feels there should be a clause in the contract which will enable BCCI to retrieve a player for national duties. In an interaction with Star Sports, he said, “You must set your priorities, right? What is the priority? India or franchise cricket? You have to decide that. If you say franchise cricket, then forget this (WTC final). If this is important, then as the custodian of the sport, the BCCI are the bosses. There should be a clause in the IPL contract that if they need a player out of the IPL in the interest of India, they have the right to do it.”

Read More: 'Lost in the field': Sourav Ganguly lambasts Rohit Sharma's captaincy in WTC Final

“First, put the clause and then ask the franchises to decide how much they want to invest. That is very important. You are the custodian of the sport. You control cricket in the country."

WTC final playing XIs

Australia XI: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey(w), Pat Cummins(c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland

India XI: Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Srikar Bharat(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj