India’s squad for WTC final vs Australia announced: The side sees the return of Ajinkya Rahane and KL Rahul while Shreyas Iyer and Jasprit Bumrah were ruled out
Ajinkya Rahane returned to the Indian side on the reverse of a astral run in IPL 2023 as BCCI blazoned a 15- man Indian team for the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia to be played at The Oval in England from June 7, this time. The side also sees the return of KL Rahul after he was dropped from the last two Tests of the Australia series.
Rahane has returned to the Indian side after 15 months. He last featured in the South Africa Test series in January 2022. Rahane’s form for CSK in IPL, albeit in an entirely different format, is believed to be a strong reason behind his comeback. The other major reason is the absence of middle- order batter Shreyas Iyer and wicketkeeper- batter Rishabh Pant.
Iyer has lately experienced back surgery and is anticipated to be out of action for some time. Pant, on other hand, has started his slow recovery process after suffering a auto accident in December last time.
Rahane has been in astral form in this IPL. He has scored 209 runs in just five innings for CSK at a stunning strike rate of199.05 which is 62 further than his former stylish in 2019. One, still, shouldn’t forget that Rahane also scored 634 runs in 7 matches at an normal of 57 in the last Ranji jewel.
Piecemeal from Rahane, elderly pro KL Rahul has also made it to the 15- man team after being stripped of vice-captaincy and a place in the team in the final two Tests of the Border- Gavaskar jewel against Australia. Rahul, still, is doubtful to be considered as an nature. He rather, can slip the gloves and club in the middle- order as designated keeper- batter KS Bharat may not find a place in the XI due to his vulnerabilities with the club.
In English conditions, where the ball is anticipated to swing, the platoon operation has fallen back on the experience of Rahul and Rahane.
The spin- bowling each- rounders Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel have held on to their places in the team. It is, still, doubtful that the three of them will play together. In fact, if the conditions are favourable for cleft also the operation could conclude for Shardul Thakur as the fourth leader, which will mean only one among Ashwin, Jadeja or Axar will play as a incentive.
In the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, who’s also ruled out because of a back injury, the onus of leading the pace attack will fall on Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj. The battle for the third attachment will be between stagers Jaydev Unadkat and Umesh Yadav. Considering the Indian platoon operation’s disinclination of playing Umesh in overseas conditions, Unadkat, who also gives the left- arm angle, may be preferred.
There was unexpectedly no place for Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan. Sarfaraz Khan’s name surely would have been over for discussion after his astral Ranji seasons but his weakness against top- quality pace was laid bare in this IPL. Know More Latest Cricket News…
India’s Test squad WTC final: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, KL Rahul, KS Bharat (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat.
