All About India’s WTC Final Squad

India has called back a prominent player for their 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC World Test Championship final against Australia, but they still have some challenging choices to make.

India faces a crucial decision on whether to opt for spinners or fast bowlers for the WTC final, given the typically swing and seam-friendly conditions in England.

The squad includes Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel, all of whom played an instrumental role in India’s 2-1 Test series victory over Australia on home turf.

The spin duo of Ashwin and Jadeja claimed a combined 47 wickets in the Border-Gavaskar series, leaving little doubt about their credentials.

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However, a green-top could tilt the scales in favour of the fast bowlers.

While Axar picked up only three wickets at an average of 62 in the series against Australia, he did manage to score 264 runs at an impressive average of 88, which could prove valuable from a batting perspective.

Despite missing Jasprit Bumrah due to a back injury, India has several fast-bowling alternatives to choose from.

Mohammad Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and Umesh Yadav have been picked as the primary pacers, while Shardul Thakur and Jaydev Unadkat are the probable backups.

Shami was the standout performer among the Indian quicks in the series against Australia, taking nine wickets.

Additionally, Shami’s experience in playing a WTC final against New Zealand in 2021 could prove valuable for the team.

Although Mohammed Siraj missed out on the WTC decider, he bounced back and claimed 18 wickets against England in the five Tests played between 2021 and 2022.

Meanwhile, Umesh Yadav has also made a significant impact with his recent performances.

However, India has kept the door open to add some spice to their pace attack with the inclusion of medium-pacer Jaydev Unadkat.

While Unadkat has only played two Tests, the left-arm bowler could bring useful variety to the line-up.

Given that Shami, Siraj, and Yadav are all right-arm pacers, India may consider Unadkat as a left-field option for the WTC final.

Despite being the top-ranked T20I batsman according to the ICC MRF Tyres T20I Batting Rankings, Suryakumar Yadav has yet to cement his place in India’s Test team.

The 32-year-old made his belated Test debut in February 2021 against Australia but managed only eight runs in India’s only innings, resulting in his exclusion from the team for the remaining matches in the series.

Yadav’s chances of earning a spot in the Test team were hindered by his poor performances in the three ODIs that followed the Test series, where he registered three successive ducks.

As a result, the T20I star has been left out of India’s squad for the WTC final.

Nevertheless, Yadav’s previous performances on the big stage suggest that he will have more opportunities in the future.

Ajinkya Rahane has been recalled to the India squad for the WTC final after being absent from the Test side since January 2022.

However, it is uncertain whether he will secure a place in the playing XI, given the depth of India’s batting unit.

The opening slot alongside Rohit Sharma is still up for debate, but if Shubman Gill partners with the captain at the top, it is likely that Rahane will slot into the middle order, resulting in KL Rahul’s exclusion.

While Gill is in good form after his century against Australia in Ahmedabad, he appears to be more flexible in terms of batting roles, which could mean both Rahul and Gill featuring in the XI, leaving Rahane to be a reserve player.

Although it seems unlikely given the challenging nature of keeping in England, India could take a bold step and hand the gloves to KL Rahul, resulting in the exclusion of KS Bharat and the inclusion of both Rahane and Gill.

Nevertheless, there is also a debate surrounding the No.6 position in the batting order.

Ravindra Jadeja batted in that position during the home Border-Gavaskar series, but he could only muster 135 runs at an average of 27 across five innings.

In English conditions, there may be a discussion of pushing Jadeja and KS Bharat down the order, strengthening India’s batting unit.