India have recently announced their Test squad for the World Test Championship Final against Australia at The Oval.
India’s squad is an interesting one that has created questions over the composition of the playing XI along with how the team will fare in England.
Star bowler Jasprit Bumrah will miss out after undergoing back surgery last month in New Zealand. India will go into the Final with a pace stable of Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Shardul Thakur, and left-armer Jaydev Unadkat.
Bumrah was India’s standout quick in their last tour of England, taking 23 wickets at an average of 22.47. Yadav was the only other quick to average under 30, where he took six wickets for an average of 22.66 in his solitary Test.
Mohammed Siraj averaged 33.00 at an expensive economy rate of 3.87 across four matches, Mohammed Shami took 13 wickets at 34.23 from his four Tests, and Shardul Thakur went for 33.37 runs for each of his eight scalps in his three games.
(Photo by Patrick Hamilton/AFP via Getty Images)
Middle-order batsman Shreyas Iyer, who boasts a Test average of 44.40 in the 10 Tests he’s played, has also been ruled out for the WTC decider with a back ailment of his own.
Rohit Sharma is the only batsman in India’s squad that averages over 40 in England in the longest format. In six Tests, he has accrued 466 runs at 42.36. The next-best-performing batsmen in Tests in England are KL Rahul, who has piled on 614 runs in 18 innings at a 34.11 average, and Virat Kohli, who averages 33.32 after 32 innings.
After having been dropped in favour of young opener Shubman Gill in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, KL Rahul maintains his spot in the Test side as a possible horses-for-courses selection. It remains to be seen whether Rahul will play and if so where he will bat. In Shreyas Iyer’s absence, he could bat in the middle-order or India’s opener merry-go-round may set to continue with Rahul potentially being one of India’s first-choice openers in England.
In India’s previous tour to England, Rahul was India’s third-highest run-scorer, amassing 315 runs at an average of 39.37 in the opening slot. In two Tests in England, Gill scored 57 runs in four innings and has struggled to contend with the swing on offer in English conditions.
Former vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane has been recalled to add depth to the middle-order after strong showings in India’s domestic scene. The right-hander played his last Test in January 2022 against South Africa, after which he was axed due to poor form. Since 2020, Rahane has played 19 Tests at an average of 24.08 with only a single century.
He went back to India’s first class competition, the Ranji Trophy, to press his case for a comeback to the Indian side. In seven matches, he scored 634 runs with two centuries at an average of 57.63. Indian selectors have favoured IPL performances for national selection in the past and his brilliant form in the IPL may have also played a factor in his inclusion, racking up 209 runs at an average of 52.25 and strike rate of 199.05.
However, Rahane’s record in England is nothing to write home about. In 15 Tests, he has scored 729 runs at 26.03.
Curiously, India has selected three spinners: Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel. This could possibly mean they will go into the WTC decider with two spinners in their XI.
Ashwin should be the lead spinner with a bowling average of 28.11 across seven Tests in England, and Jadeja may be primed to bat in the top six. In India’s last Test at The Oval, Jadeja batted at No.5 behind Kohli.
In the latest Test that India played in England, he scored a century at Edgbaston batting at No.7. With Rishabh Pant still out indefinitely, Jadeja may be likely to bat ahead of current wicket-keeper KS Bharat. Jadeja batting in the top six would allow India to play two spinners as part of a line-up with five bowling options, which could be a move the Indian management is looking to make if they aren’t confident in their pace stocks in English conditions.
India squad for WTC Final
Rohit Sharma (c), 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 Unadka
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Ashes
Tigerbill44
Roar Guru
I am very curious to know how the Aus public are viewing this final. Is it more important to become world champs; or winning the Ashes gives greater satisfaction.
talkernonwalker
Roar Rookie
India's best xi is this: Shubman Gill Rohit Gupta Cheteshwar Pujara Virat Kohli Shreyas Iyer Rishabh Pant Ravindra Jadeja Hardik Pandya Mohammad Shami Jasprit Bumrah Umesh Yadav 3 key players are missing and will be replaced by much poorer options (still good players): Rishabh Pant --> Ishan Kishan Jasprit Bumrah --> Mohammad Siraj Hardik Pandya --> Shardul Thakur Reduces India's chances significantly. But lets see. One performance might change everything. Australia are favourite.
Tempo
Roar Rookie
Bear in mind that the Oval test is traditionally played late in the English summer, usually in late August or September. Conditions are more favourable for spinners at this time compared to earlier in the season. The Oval has never hosted a test match in June before, and has only hosted two tests in July in the last 40 years (both in late July), with all other tests being in August and September. So it may not be a "typical" Oval test pitch.
Opeo
Roar Rookie
It is almost like India play their best cricket in Australia. They have done worse than Australia in England recently, they still have never won a series in South Africa, and it is more than 10 years since India have won a test in New Zealand. It is a little surprising that they win in Australia but are not in other countries outside of Asia.
Simoc
Roar Rookie
I think Gill has the opening slot but you never know with Indian selectors. In England, Australia looks to have the batting advantage and should win. I'm not sure that Starc will contribute a lot but has earned his spot. As you point out Rahanes record isn't great in England. Axar Patel has been great for India but there really isn't a place for him in the team at this stage. One outstanding contribution might swing it but I would think Australia will go in hot favorites as England will be for the Ashes series later.
PSha
Roar Rookie
As a whole, I haven’t minded the editorial changes made to the articles I’ve written. Some have been really beneficial for me. It has shown me where I can tweak things that I’m not as good at and has helped improve my writing. In general, I think it is a pretty thankless job being an editor.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Fair enough. This site has been a problem in the making for editorial changes to article titles and article context for a few years now. The original intent of the site (which still gets put forward as it's reason for being) as being somewhere for sports fans to write their own opinion articles, has long since disappeared (the fact that there actually IS a fan article on the site - rather than sports-writers article - is actually a positive thing). So can see why that happened! But as I said, you dealt with it in the comments section :thumbup:
PSha
Roar Rookie
To be honest, my main focus for this article was in response to India's squad announcement and analysing the player they picked. The headline for my submission of this entry was actually 'A look at India's squad for the WTC final'. It probably got changed for being a very meh headline. I'm not very good at coming up with titles in general. I can see why the article comes across as a bit strange and you were left confused as to why I hadn't even mentioned Australia once.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Good article PSha re India's options. But what is probably lacking in the question of whether India can win the WTC..is that the article doesn't once mention the opponent; surely India's opposition in the final must play a big part in any assessment? Though I note you subsequently addressed this in the comments section.
PSha
Roar Rookie
The neutral venue in England makes for an intriguing matchup between the two sides. Australia has to take on the side that has had a leg up on them and India are playing in a country where a lot of their squad have performed below their usual standards. I agree on Starc. He hasn't done all that great in England either to suggest it would be any different at the neutral venue with a 31.27 bowling average in 9 matches. In an admittedly very small sample size of 4 innings, he's taken 3 wickets @ 66 at The Oval. It doesn't seem to be a track that favours him.
Opeo
Roar Rookie
Wow. On paper we are a lot better but given that they beat us at home it is hard to see how we win at a neutral venue. Starc should not play in the final, he averages 39 against India and that is with 11 out of the 17 matches he has played against them being in Australia. His pace does not phase the Indian batsmen. Boland should take his place.
Choppy Zezers
Roar Rookie
It WILL be beautiful
PSha
Roar Rookie
I wouldn't say India were disinterested. New Zealand are just far more suited to English conditions than them. English conditions are incredibly alien compared to the subcontinent and have more similarities with New Zealand's conditions. New Zealand's bowlers with a Dukes ball in swinging conditions are going to do well against India's batsmen more often than not. I'd love to see the English response on the socials and in the media if Australia won the WTC final in England and the Ashes. Would be beautiful.
Choppy Zezers
Roar Rookie
Totes. India seemed disinterested in the last final so Im not sure how much it means to them. A WTC and Ashes victory would be pretty sweet. Like the ultimate Con Tiki English Bus Tour
PSha
Roar Rookie
Thanks, I appreciate it. I do have hope that one of Khawaja, Head, and Green can stand up to help support Smith and Labuschagne. All three have made improvements to give me some optimism.
PSha
Roar Rookie
Yeah, it's going to be a cracking time. I'll be 60% made of coffee by the end of the Ashes. The Oval has been a pitch that spinners have been able to do relatively well on in the recent past. From 2015-2020, spinners have an average of 29.11. In 2021, Jadeja took 2/36 and 2/50 there. The Oval still does favour pacers, but there's enough for the spinners to do well and contribute. With Boland, as long he's able to maintain his metronomic accuracy he should be fine. He is tough to play when the ball is swinging because he's able to catch the edge on deliveries that pitch on areas where other bowlers would beat the bat.
Choppy Zezers
Roar Rookie
Really enjoyed this article. A great read India can win if our batters go rubbish and suck. Openers Im looking at you
Bloke7
Roar Rookie
Jadeja's batting is gold for India, allowing that extra option even if he's not needed a lot. The big discussion is really about the pitch at the Oval. It's traditionally a swingers pitch but does offer some extra bounce at times. The loss of Bumrah is a huge blow. The weather will also play a big role. If it's a bit wet and cloudy that should suit India, though its unlikely to ever turn a lot. Hazlewood will need to be fit and firing if the ball is swinging, Boland doesn't bowl a lot of swing. If it's hot and dry the Aussie Quicks will cause a lot of trouble. I'm very excited about this match and the ashes. Going to be some late nights this winter.