The WTC Finale has arrived. The IPL season has ended and Team India is ready to create history wearing the whites by conquering their very first WTC Trophy.
Under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, India will be looking forward to the intense game against Australia which commences on the 7th of June at the Home of Cricket.
Even though India has faced some worrying signs in the form of the absence of key players such as Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, and Jasprit Bumrah, the team is all fired up and ready to go for the ultimate clash.
Squad of Team India:
Let us take a quick look at the squad of India for the WTC Finals:
- Rohit Sharma ©
- Shubman Gill
- Cheteshwar Pujara
- Virat Kohli
- Ajinkya Rahane
- KS Bharat (WK)
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Ravichandran Ashwin
- Mohammed Shami
- Mohammed Siraj
- Umesh Yadav
- Shardul Thakur
- Axar Patel
- Jaydev Unadkat
- Ishan Kishan
- Yashasvi Jaiswal (Stand-by)
Ruturaj Gaikwad was the stand-by batter first, but Yashasvi Jaiswal is selected due to Ruturaj Gaikwad’s marriage.
The rivalry of IND VS AUS over the years:
India has had many historic matches against Australia with the red ball. One of them is the series decider at Gabba in the 2020-21 IND VS AUS tour, where the more experienced players weren’t playing. The team was led by Captain Rahane in place of Kohli. Lots of ups and downs, cameos, game-changing moments, and a masterclass from the counterattacking Rishabh Pant right before the stumps on the very last day ensured the victory for Team India and hence the series.
Another such match was the test in Mohali at the 2010 series. India was almost down and out at 124/8. With 216 as the target, important contributions from Ishant Sharma and VVS Laxman with the risky single from Naman Ojha won the game for India.
We have seen many other terrific contests against these two mammoth teams. But this time, the stakes are highest, the pressure is at the very peak. The World Test Championship is on the line, as both these teams look to win their very first trophy.
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More on the India Squad:
Shardul-Ashwin conundrum
There is a bit of a conundrum. The combination of India is such that only one of Ashwin or Shardul plays. It will mainly depend on the pitch and weather conditions. But it is most likely that Ashwin gets to play due to his expertise and the vulnerability of the left-handed batters of the opposition against Ashwin. His track record is no less than impressive as he is considered as one of the greatest spin wizards of all time in cricket. There is still a chance of Shardul Thakur playing if they decide to have only one spinner (i.e. Ravindra Jadeja).
Jaydev Unadkat as a choice
Jaydev Unadkat is an underrated choice, given how Umesh Yadav is coming out of an injury. Plus, he is a left-arm pacer who brings variety to the flavor, and also he can bowl bouncy lengths very precisely.
Debutant Ishan Kishan VS KS Bharat
Ishan Kishan has been included as another wicketkeeper option along with KS Bharat. KS Bharat has a better domestic record when compared to Ishan Kishan, and is a sound keeper. However, India may decide to play him if they think they require another left-handed batter in the lineup. If Ishan Kishan plays, then it would be his debut in the longest format of the game.
The solid form of the King and Prince
Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill both prove to be strong and promising players who are highly expected to perform in this WTC Final. “Impressive” is an understatement for their skyrocketing form in recent times. Both have scored centuries in all formats of the game this year including the IPL and must be confident to face the elite bowling attack of Australia.
Pujara & Rahane: The Middle Order Duo
Cheteshwar Pujara has been in England to play in the county season this year. He has very good stats for Sussex, so he must be more used to the conditions in England. He could prove as an important player in the match.
Rahane has come from a good IPL season for CSK. Also given his form has been good in his domestic cricket too, he would be looking forward to batting well in the WTC Finale.
Pace Bowlers of India
Shami and Siraj are the two main pace attack leaders for India, who can swing the ball well. Especially given that the match is in the Oval, there’s absolutely no doubt swing will help deceive the batters early on.
Umesh Yadav or Unadkat can work with the older ball, producing reverse swing and bounce against the Aussies. They would be more useful in the latter days of the match.
Sir Ravindra Jadeja
Coming after a finishing masterclass for Chennai Super Kings, Ravindra Jadeja, who can contribute with both bat and ball will definitely be a valuable asset for India’s success. The No.1 ranked all-rounder in this format has been consistent in this format in the ongoing WTC cycle. He is a force with the bat and a deceiver with the ball. Jadeja, along with Ashwin can prove to be a brutal spin attack as a whole.
Skipper Rohit Sharma
This is the second consecutive time India has reached the finals of this magnificent tournament. Winning 5 times for the IPL franchise “Mumbai Indians”, Hitman Rohit is all set to lead his team to glory in the ultimate WTC Finale and mark his name among the best captains of Indian Cricket if not World Cricket. With the ODI World Cup coming up, India would be looking to end this WTC cycle on a high note.
The contest is set at the Oval, two teams who have shown their hard work and dedication for the last 2 years, it all comes into this ultimate decider. India is strong favorites indeed, and cricket fans would be eager to see a nail-biting game.
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