WTC final is scheduled to begin on 7th June, Wednesday. In a recent interview, Team India Head Coach Rahul Dravid projected a calm and confident composure of the team.
The final of the World Test Championship, dubbed “The Ultimate Test,” between India and Australia is scheduled to begin on 7th June, Wednesday at the iconic Oval stadium in London. In the days leading up to the final, Team India has projected great amount of confidence, as witnessed in the most recent interview by Head Coach Rahul Dravid on Monday.
When asked about whether the team is facing any pressure going into the final of an ICC tournament, Dravid replied with a calm “Not at all.” Remarkably, Team India has not won a single ICC trophy in the last 10 years since the 2013 Champions Trophy under the captaincy of M. S. Dhoni. Dravid continued that the team has performed exceptionally well around the world, dominating away tours to Australia and drawing series against England.
Projecting the intensity and focus of the Indian Team, Coach Dravid stated that they are not concerned about whatever happens before or after the game, but are only focused on performing their best during the five days of the match. On being asked whether India is the favourite to win, he replied that it is irrelevant to the team’s preparations.
Team India’s Selection Conundrum(s)
Rohit Sharma-led Team India has a very strong line-up mixed with experience as well as young energy, class as well as aggression, and a balanced batting-bowling composition. However, the strong bench strength of the team poses several selection conundrums in front of the captain and the head coach.
Wicketkeeper Conundrum
For the position of wicketkeeper, India is missing its best keeper after M. S. Dhoni and explosive batsman Rishabh Pant, who is recovering from an accident he met in December last year. Even in his absence, Team India has two brilliant options in the form of K. S. Bharat and the potential X-factor Ishan Kishan. While Bharat is the more experienced wicketkeeper, Kishan could supplant Pant as the explosive lower order batsman.
Bowling Combinations
The second conundrum is in the bowling department, deciding on what combination of bowlers should India field. Former Team India captain Virat Kohli had set the trend of playing with five full-time bowlers, which was considered unorthodox and bold at the time. The trend has continued even after he stepped down from Test captaincy.
The second conundrum for Team India is whether to go with two spinner and three pacers, or to field four pacers and just one spinner. India’s spin options include Ravichandran Ashwin, highest wicket-taker for India in this WTC cycle (2021-23); the recent IPL-winner bowling allrounder Ravindra Jadeja; and the in-form bowling allrounder Axar Patel. All of these have contributed extensively in both bowling as well as batting, increasing the conundrum about whom to field.
English pitches are more pace-friendly due to the cool weather conditions there and grassy nature of the pitches. Thus, India might even want to field four pacers – Mohammed Shami for the swing, Mohammed Siraj who has been consistently performing in Test cricket, Umesh Yadav, and Jaydev Unadkat. India also has the option of bowling allrounder Shardul Thakur who dominated the Border-Gavaskar trophy 2020-21.
Team India is spoilt for choices when it comes to selecting the playing eleven. While the top and middle batting order is almost confirmed with Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane, the captain and Head Coach have some tough calls to make in the lower half of the playing eleven.
