Sunil Gavaskar picks India's playing XI for WTC final
Gavaskar has chosen KS Bharat as his first-choice wicketkeeper-batter ahead of Ishan Kishan for World Test Championship 2023 Final.
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Australia and India have commenced preparations for the 2023 World Test Championship Final with the objective of capturing the Test mace. The two teams will meet at The Oval in London on Wednesday, June 7; India, led by Rohit Sharma, will be looking to conclude unfinished business from the previous edition, while Australia will be seeking their first WTC Final victory.
Both teams have named powerful squads for the crucial match, but India will be hampered by the absence of a number of their key players due to injury. Rishabh Pant has been undertaking rehabilitation since his horrific car accident in December 2022, while Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, and Jasprit Bumrah have been recovering from their respective injuries.
Former India captain and cricket luminary Sunil Gavaskar weighed in on India's likely playing XI for the upcoming WTC Final against Australia. Gavaskar stated on the Star Sports program Follow the Blues:
"I will discuss the batting tandem of Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill," I will say. No. 3 is (Cheteshwar) Pujara, No. 4 is (Virat) Kohli, No. 5 is Ajinkya Rahane. There is a small amount of concern regarding item No. 6. I believe that No. 6 is either (Srikar) Bharat or Ishan Kishan. They are discussing Bharat because he has participated in all of these contests to date. So will likely continue to use Bharat at six."
Since Rishabh Pant's injury, India have been scrambling to find the right man to fill the role of wicketkeeper-batsman. Jadeja and Ashwin are the frontrunners, if the weather and the forecast are favorable. With KL Rahul also absent, India will look to KS Bharat, who was the wicketkeeper for the four-match Border Gavaskar Trophy that concluded in March 2023.
Since India's second choice for the position, Ishan Kishan, lacks international experience in the longest format of the game, Gavaskar believes that the team will likely stick with Bharat, who has played against Australia before. Gavaskar elaborated on India's bowling unit, stating:
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"No. 7 will be (Ravindra) Jadeja. If it is a brilliant day and a bright forecast, then Jadeja and (Ravichandran) Ashwin should be ranked seventh and eighth, respectively. Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and possibly Shardul Thakur will bat at positions nine, ten, and eleven, respectively.
Here is Gavaskar’s Predicted India XI :
Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Srikar Bharat, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur
