India's lineup for the upcoming World Test Championship final against Australia has been announced by the BCCI. The high-stakes match will take place at The Oval from June 7 to 11. In a bid to lift the trophy this time—following their 2021 defeat to New Zealand—the team has seen a mix of fresh recalls and necessary omissions.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced Team India’s squad for the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia. The WTC final between India and Australia will be played from June 7 – 11 this year at the Oval in England. A few players missed out while a couple of players have been recalled to the side as team India looks to win the WTC trophy in the 2023 edition, bowing out to New Zealand in the 2021 edition.
While Rohit Sharma continues his tenure as captain, the role of vice-captain remains vacant for the final. The squad features the return of KL Rahul and Ajinkya Rahane, the latter of whom surprised many experts by returning to the national team after a 15-month absence.
Rahane's selection is primarily a result of his dominant form in the IPL and domestic circuit. His explosive performance for CSK, netting 209 runs at a 200 strike rate, along with his 634 runs in the Ranji Trophy, made him impossible to ignore. Additionally, his inclusion fills gaps left by injured middle-order mainstay Shreyas Iyer and wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant. Meanwhile, Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan missed the cut as they failed to fully convince the selection committee.
KL Rahul is expected to play as a middle-order batter and wicketkeeper rather than an opener, likely replacing KS Bharat in the XI due to Bharat's recent struggles with the bat. The batting order is expected to feature Shubman Gill opening alongside Rohit, with Cheteshwar Pujara at number three and Virat Kohli slotting in at number four.
India faces a blow with Jasprit Bumrah ruled out due to a back injury. Consequently, Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj will spearhead the pace attack, while Umesh Yadav and Jaydev Unadkat will compete for the final seamer spot. The spin department remains stable, with Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Axar Patel all retaining their places.
Given the swing-friendly conditions typical of English pitches, the management might consider adding Shardul Thakur as a fourth seamer. If this happens, only one of the three specialist spinners is likely to make the final playing eleven.