WTC Final Update!! In the last cycle, Australia was denied a chance to participate in the final due to an over-rate penalty. This time around, they will be eager to make sure of taking full advantage after making the finals this time as the top seed in the 9-team league cycle. While they start off this contest as slight favorites over India, they are not at full strength in certain areas as well, along with a lean patch for some of the players to contend with as well.
They have a couple of tough decisions to make but enter the final with a side that is relatively much more settled compared to that of their opponents.
So this is our 11 for Australia to face India on June 7th in the WTC Final!!
Openers
While David Warner’s lean run is a headache that Australia has been contending with for quite some time, he is more or less certain to open along with fellow southpaw Usman Khawaja. Khawaja has been Australia’s best batsman outright ever since getting that second wind in the Ashes and has just not looked back with the bat.
It was a tough choice between Warner and Head for the opening spot, but the 36-year-old gets the nod ahead of Head. Marnus Labuschagne at 3 is a certainty, and the current top-ranked test batsman will definitely want to put on a much better showing against India after what was a pretty underwhelming tournament of India on a personal front.
Middle-Order
Steve Smith, Travis Head, and Cam Green will be the designated middle-order for the Baggy greens. Smith will be looking to put his poor India tour behind him and looks rejuvenated by his stint in Sussex alongside Cheteshwar Pujara, who he will be playing against (Funny game, eh?).
Travis Head’s aggression and his ability to take on the attack will be a key factor for Australia, especially during the end of a session or when the side is in need to put pressure on the Indians. Green enters this game on the back of a blistering IPL where he scored runs by the boatload and will be looking to build on that run as well.
WTC Final: Ideal Starting XI For Team India
Wicket Keeper
This is a pretty straightforward choice as Alex Carey is the undisputed custodian behind the stumps for the Aussies. However, he will have to do much better than the reverse-sweeping follies that he displayed on that India tour which did not exactly cover him in glory as far as his batting quality is concerned. He will have to put on a much better display with the bat to complement his excellent glove work from behind the stumps.
Bowlers
3 of the 4 bowlers automatically pick themselves in this attack with no questions asked. Skipper Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Nathan Lyon form the nucleus of this bowling attack, with Green to be added on as that extra seamer who can bowl a decent spell so that these three can catch a breath or two. However, it is the third seamer that poses a dilemma for the Aussie think tank.
With Hazlewood being ruled out for the final, it comes down to any one of Scott Boland and Michael Neser. While Neser has had a rollicking spell in the county for Glamorgan with both bat and bowl, we feel that Boland would be the one who gets the nod because of his ability to wreak havoc on pitches that have something on offer, which this Oval surface looks to have.
Aussie Starting XI for WTC Final
David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey(wk), Pat Cummins(c), Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, Nathan Lyon
