Ash Gardner still holds ground on Australia being best in the world as the allrounder doesn’t expect dramatic changes.
Ash Gardner believes Australia still world’s best ahead of India series.
Despite their consecutive World Cup defeats, Ashleigh Gardner has maintained that Australia is still the best side in the world, certain that another makeover won’t be necessary to reclaim cricket’s two most important international titles.
Australia, who won every T20 and ODI World Cup between 2018 and 2023, are currently without either trophy after losing in the semi-finals of both competitions in the previous 15 months.
Australia will play a thrilling home multi-format series against ODI World Cup winners India in February and March when they return to the pitch in 50 days at the SCG.
Before the first opportunity to recapture a significant prize with the T20 World Cup in England in June, there will be another multi-format series in the West Indies.
Australia made a determined attempt to be more aggressive with their batting after being stunned by South Africa in the 2024 T20 World Cup semifinals.
As a result, England won all three T20Is, all three ODIs, and the Test match at the MCG during last summer’s historic home Ashes.
The Australians’ ODI World Cup semi-final loss to India this year was mostly caused by a lack of discipline, with multiple missed catches costing them dearly.
Australia has not yet conducted a comprehensive, full-squad analysis of that departure; this is probably going to happen when the team reassembles in February. However, Gardner stated that this meant that rather than making any significant adjustments to Australia’s strategy, the emphasis would probably be on doing well under duress.
“I think there’s not going to be too many dramatic changes,” Gardner told AAP. “I don’t think there necessarily needs to be. It’s more those small moments that I don’t think we won and kind of letting the game go in ebbs and flows.
“That’s going to happen at times, but making sure that if those things do arise, we have the tools and capabilities to recognise it and the tools to get out of that. Everyone’s going to probably respond differently. But I would say overall it’s a pretty, standard thing that we’re trying to achieve.”