With the WTC Final, just 2 sleeps away, the world holds its bated breath as two of the best test teams in the last 2 years come face-to-face in what is touted by many as “The Ultimate Test”. Both teams will be prepared for what the other may be throwing at them come the afternoon of 7th June. For India, it is an opportunity to go one step further and get their hands on that elusive ICC trophy that has avoided them for a decade.
India will know that they will have to play a side based on the conditions on offer, something they failed to consider in 2021, thereby costing them dearly.
So in order to avoid that mistake, here is our potential starting XI for Team India for the WTC Final!!
Top Order
The top 3 for India more or less pick themselves here. Shubman Gill has been on an absolute roll with the bat since December 2022 and is coming hot on the heels of an immaculate IPL season where he amassed 890 runs. Skipper Rohit Sharma has had a pretty ordinary run with the bat as far as the tournament is concerned, but he has been one of India’s best test batsmen in the past 2 years or so and will be expected to lay down a solid platform for the rest.
At number 3, Pujara has more or less made Sussex his second home as he keeps churning the runs in English conditions. He has been the only Indian who has been in England for a while and his know-how of the conditions coupled with his exemplary record against the Aussies make him an automatic choice.
Middle Order
Virat Kohli at number 4 is a dead given. The Poster boy of Indian cricket is approaching something that resembles his all-conquering self, starting from that 186 vs the very same opponents in Ahmedabad. There is a lot of discourse as to who should come on at number 5, with opinion divided on either Suryakumar Yadav or Ajinkya Rahane. But we pick Ajinkya Rahane over SKY not only because he has loads of experience behind him, he has also played in English conditions before which automatically makes him the preferred option.
WTC Final Indian Squad; Players Who Sparked Controversy
Wicket Keeper
This is an area where the headache will be a big one. Both KS Bharat and Ishan Kishan have never kept wickets in England, with the latter yet to make his debut in Test cricket yet. However, it will be very unfair to not back Bharat after giving him all 4 tests in the home series vs Australia only to bench him in such an important game. So it should be the Andhra gloveman to keep his place in the 11.
Bowlers
Another huge question that needs answering as far as India is concerned. Do they go with 1 spinner or 2? While that answer could very well define the match as far as we are concerned, we certainly feel that it would not be the worst idea in the world to go with 2 spinning options, with spin twins Jadeja and Ashwin bowling in tandem.
No other bowler in India has the wood over Australia quite like the wily Ashwin, and Jadeja offers more to the side than just his bowling, In the pace battery, Siraj and Shami are automatic starters which leaves Umesh, Shardul, and Unadkat for that third seamer role. We believe that Unadkat should get the nod for that third spot for 2 reasons. Firstly, he is the only left-arm pacer in the side, and secondly, he is accustomed to bowling those hard and heavy lengths on pitches that are hard and dry.
Ideal starting XI for the WTC Final
Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, KS Bharat(wk), R Ashwin, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj.
