Ahead of the ICC World Test Championship final, former England skipper Monty Panesar has picked India’s playing XI for the mega clash. Virat Kohli & Co will lock horns with New Zealand at the Rose Bowl in Southampton, starting June 18.
Going into the clash, the management will face a lot of selection dilemmas. At the Rose Bowl in Southampton where the conditions are most likely to assist the fast bowlers, Monty Panesar said that it’s a ‘must’ that Virat Kohli and Co opt for both Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.
Panesar, who knows these conditions inside out stated that if Ashwin and Jadeja bowl in tandem, can give oppositions headaches. Panesar also called them among the very best among the current generation of cricketers.
“India must play both Jadeja and Ashwin. There is no one better than these two at present in the world. They bowl in partnership, understand each other’s game, and overall they are street-smart cricketers,” Panesar was quoted as saying in India Today.
Speaking about the openers, Monty Panesar picked Rishabh Pant over Mayank Agarwal as Rohit Sharma’s partner. The veteran only picked three specialist fast bowlers in the form of Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Shami.
Here’s Monty Panesar’s Team India XI for WTC final:
Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravi Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami
Previously, Monty Panesar also backed India to win the Test series against India 5-0. The retired spinner felt that the conditions in England may go in the visiting team’s favour.
Following the WTC final, India will lock horns with England in the five-match Test series, starting August 4 at The Trent Bridge in Nottingham. The Lord’s, Headingley, Kennington Oval, and Old Trafford are the venues for the other four matches.
