Team India is all set and ready to face New Zealand in the ICC World Test Championship final in Southampton between June 18-22 According to many experts, the team have all their bases covered and looks the ‘favorites’ to win the title. Team India have beaten teams like West Indies, Bangladesh, South Africa, Australia and England to get into the WTC final. In the process, they have played some outstanding cricket, especially against Australia Down Under.
Meanwhile, in this article, we will look at 3 problems Team India might face ahead of the WTC final. The BCCI has named a 20-member squad along with three stand-by players for the final and the subsequent England series. This also means that Virat Kohli has problems of plenty when he sits down with the coach and the support staff to zero in on the final playing XI. In the process, he might face three big concerns about which we will discuss in the write-up.
Meanwhile, below is the Indian squad announced for the WTC Final & England Series
Rohit Sharma’s Opening Partner? Shubman Gill Or Mayank Agarwal
While Rohit Sharma is one of the two openers shortlisted for the final, the big question now is who among Shubman Gill or Mayank Agarwal will partner Rohit. Noticeably, Gill has played the best of his short Test career in overseas conditions having made his Test debut against Australia. His 91 in Melbourne laid the foundation for Ajinkya Rahane’s match-winning ton to help India win the match. On the other hand, Agarwal has played majority of the home stretch during the WTC campaign. He scored two double tons both at home and thus his overseas credibilities remain questionable. Agarwal has just one fifty in 10 innings overseas. Meanwhile, Gill scored two crucial fifties as an opener against 91 thereby making a strong case of his inclusion for the big final. Mayank has better average than Gill, while the youngster has more runs than him in overseas conditions.
Also Read: WTC Final: Statistical Comparison India And New Zealand Bowlers
Two Spinners Or One in WTC Final
The second problem that Team India needs to address is whether they want to go two spinners or one keeping in mind the conditions that they are playing in. The final will be played in Southampton where the seamers get more help than the spinners. Going in with a solo spinner will allow India to play an extra batsman in the lineup adding depth to their batting strength.
The toss-up will be thus between Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. Ashwin has been India’s highest wicket-taker (67 wickets) in the championship while Jadeja has proved his worth in gold in the games that he has played. Ashwin also has a chance to overtake Pat Cummins’ tally of 70 wickets if he plays in the final.
In an ideal situation, playing two spinners together will better India’s chances of winning the Test match. On the other hand, playing with just one would mean that Hanuma Vihari will bat at number six with Rishabh Pant at seven and either of Ashwin or Jadeja at 8. While Ashwin has been a champions Test bower for India, Jadeja’s recent form in the IPL and in all formats helps him make a strong case for his inclusion in the playing XI as well.
The Curious Case Of Team India’s Third Seamer
Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami pick themselves in the playing XI for the WTC final. The toss-up will be between Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Siraj for the third seamer is the final problem. While Ishant has picked 36 wickets in 11 matches, Siraj has picked 16 in five. While Siraj is the in-form pacer out of the two, Ishant has experience of over 100 Test matches.
What works in Ishant’s favor for the third seamer’s spot is his prior experience of playing in English conditions, The lanky Indian pacer has played 12 Test matches in England, while Siraj is yet to play his first. The management should ideally bank on Ishant’s experience of playing in the conditions in the past. However, Siraj’s rapid rise in the format cannot be ignored.
Thus the Indian team management have selection concerns in all three departments. The trophy at stake is the ICC World Test Championship which will be Kohli’s first major title win as captain if he makes it. However, as always, there might be some surprises in store when it comes to Kohli and team selection. It would be interesting to see who gets the nod and who will need to wait for a chance.
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