The Indian squad for the ICC World Test Championship Final was announced on Tuesday. There aren’t many changes in the squad that played against Australia. India have stuck with their core group of players and most of them are automatic picks into the playing 11. The final will commence from 18th June at The Rose Bowl in Southampton.
Virat Kohli & Co were in a spot of bother losing the first Test against England but defeat Joe Root & Co in the next three outings to book a spot in the final tie. They thrashed England in those games to book a flight to the UK. It will be an interesting match-up against New Zealand when both sides clash in Southampton.
3 Indian batter who can be the top run-scorers in the WTC Final:
1. Virat Kohli
The Indian skipper Virat Kohli had a poor outing in England in 2014. He managed to score only 135 runs in 10 innings. He bounced back in 2018 and scored a humongous 593 runs in England. The skipper was also adjudged the man of the series. Virat Kohli smashed 2 centuries and 3 fifties on that tour. He has been a key player for the Indian team over the last few years and he will be the key for India.
We all know how much Virat Kohli loves pressure situations and the big stage of the final will be the perfect occasion for the Indian captain to step up. Virat Kohli will also be looking to end his century drought and what better occasion to get a hundred than the final. The management and the Indian fans will want their best batsman to get them over the line.
2. Rishabh Pant
If the year 2021 can be associated with one man and that is Rishabh Pant. He had some outstanding batting performances in Australia and also against England. He has game-changing abilities with the bat. The wicket-keeper batsman can accelerate the innings at a decent strike rate and can step up for the team whenever needed. He has become India’s first-choice keeper.
The 23-year-old has had unbelievable success in foreign conditions. He is the first Indian wicketkeeper to have a test 100 in England. Rishabh Pant has played a pivotal role in India’s success in recent years. He is expected to perform well in Southampton due to his free-flowing attitude and ability to hit the ball.
3. Cheteshwar Pujara
This man is an absolute rock. He stands in the middle taking blows for his country, scoring runs but never gives up. Cheteshwar Pujara has always been the dependable batsman for India and he will look to live up to that expectation. He averages just 29.41 in England but he has silenced his critics with his performances over the last 2 years. He was India’s key player in the 2018/19 Border-Gavaskar triumph.
Pujara was dropped from the side in the first test during the 2018 tour of England. He bounced back with a gritty 72. Cheteshwar Pujara will also look to score big and get his team over the line in the ICC WTC Final.