The World Test Championship Final is an exciting event that cricket enthusiasts around the world eagerly anticipate. This highly anticipated summit clash will witness two cricketing giants, India and Australia, battling it out from the 7th to the 11th of June at The Oval in England. India has reached the finals for the second time, and with the quality of players in their squad, it is fair to say that they have an excellent chance to lift an ICC trophy after 13 long years.
Yesterday, the BCCI announced the 15-man squad that would travel to London in June for the WTC final. The announcement marked the comeback of Ajinkya Rahane and KL Rahul in the team, while also coming as a relief to KS Bharat, who retained his spot despite a poor run against the Australian team last month. However, ahead of the final, legendary Indian batter Sunil Gavaskar has picked his Playing XI that he would prefer to see playing on 7th June.Â
Rahul over Bharat
Gavaskarâs choices have garnered attention from fans and experts alike. In his lineup, Gavaskar has opted for KL Rahul as the wicket-keeper, ahead of regular keeper KS Bharat, who is also part of the 15-member squad.
Gavaskar has selected a strong top order, with captain Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill opening the innings, followed by Chesteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli at three and four, respectively. The experienced Ajinkya Rahane, who has made a comeback, is placed at his usual No. 5 batting position. KL Rahul, who has been in good form during the IPL, is slotted to bat at six, which is a slightly unconventional decision, but one that Gavaskar seems to have confidence in.
Ashwin over Umesh or Shardul
In the bowling department, Gavaskar has gone for a combination of spin and pace. He has included two spinners, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin, who can make a significant impact on the game with their skills and experience. For the pace bowling options, Gavaskar has chosen Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammed Shami, and Mohammed Siraj, all of whom have been in good form and can provide the team with the necessary breakthroughs. ]
Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill will be my opening picks, Cheteshwar Pujara at three, Virat Kohli at four, Ajinkya Rahane at five, KL Rahul at six who’ll keep the wickets as well. Then there will be Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin, followed by Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammed Shami, and Mohd Siraj,” revealed Gavaskar while speaking on Star Sports’ Cricket Live.
However, Gavaskar has chosen to leave behind Umesh Yadav and Shardul Thakur, both of whom are expected to do well in the seaming conditions. Instead, he thinks that India can field 2 spinners and 3 pacers to achieve the desired result.
Sunil Gavaskarâs Predicted Indian Playing XI for WTC Final:Â
Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and Jaydev UnadkatÂ
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