The BCCI officially named the playing eleven for the WTC final this Thursday. The squad has been carefully balanced to take on New Zealand during the historic first World Test Championship, scheduled for June 18 to June 22 at the Rose Bowl in Southampton.
The Board of Council for Cricket in India announced the playing XI for the WTC final on Thursday. The Indian team management has picked a well-balanced team to play against New Zealand in the inaugural World Test Championship at Rose Bowl in Southampton from June 18 to June 22.
The chosen XI consists of Virat Kohli (C), Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (VC), Rishabh Pant (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, and Jasprit Bumrah. This means Hanuma Vihari, Wriddhiman Saha, Umesh Yadav, and Mohammed Siraj are the four players from the 15-man squad who didn't make the cut.
Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill are set to open the batting. The middle order is anchored by Cheteshwar Pujara at the number three spot, with Virat Kohli following, Ajinkya Rahane batting at five, and the dynamic Rishabh Pant providing power. Additionally, the team expects valuable lower-order runs from all-rounders Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.
The bowling strategy involves a five-man rotation: fast bowlers Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, and Jasprit Bumrah will handle the pace, while Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin lead the spin attack. Ishant is expected to lead the fast bowling unit, while the high-performing Ashwin will be the primary spin threat.
Despite Mohammed Siraj's impressive growth and strong showings during the Border-Gavaskar trophy and the Australian tour, he didn't make the final cut. The team management ultimately decided to prioritize seasoned experience over youth for this match.