Team India have begun their preparation for the ICC World Test Championship final against New Zealand. The Ageas Bowl in Southampton will host the marquee clash, which starts from June 18 (Friday).
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shared some pictures on Twitter where we can see Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Shubman Gill, and Cheteshwar Pujara in action in the practice game. The Asian Giants have traveled to the UK with a jumbo squad so that they can get match practice inside the bio-bubble.
India’s opponents New Zealand are currently busy in the second of the two-match Test series against England, gaining some much-needed practice ahead of the mega encounter.
Virat Kohli & Co will be eager to acclimatize to the English conditions by playing practice games among themselves. The Men in Blue will also be keen to adapt to playing with the Dukes ball, which is often a tough challenge for the batsmen to tackle in English conditions.
📸📸 Snapshots from the first session of our intra-squad match simulation here in Southampton.#TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/FjtKUghnDH
— BCCI (@BCCI) June 11, 2021
Harbhajan Singh opens up on India’s bowling combination in WTC final
The veteran off-spinner recently weighed in on the debate and urged Team India to pick Mohammad Siraj instead of the more experienced Ishant Sharma in the playing XI. The management will be on their toes to pick the right combinations for the title clash.
“If I was the captain, I would go with three pure fast bowlers. In that case, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami pick themselves. In this final, I would like to go with Mohammed Siraj ahead of Ishant Sharma.
“Ishant is a brilliant bowler, but for this game, my choice is Siraj, who has shown remarkable improvement in the last two years. You have to look at the present scenario. Siraj’s form, pace and confidence make him a better choice for this final match,” Harbhajan told PTI on Thursday.
