ICC WTC Final 2021: Sunil Gavaskar Reckons India Might Drop One Spinner From Their Playing 11

Former Indian cricketer-turned commentator Sunil Gavaskar reckoned that Virat Kohli and the Indian think-tank may alter their playing 11 for the World Test Championship final against New Zealand considering the weather conditions in Southampton.

India had announced their playing 11 on the eve of the World Test Championship final. The playing 11 consists of a 3+2 combination with both Ravindra Jadeja and R. Ashwin making it to the final 11.

But, with persistent rain lashing out in Southampton, causing the opening day to be abandoned, the think tank might be tempted to drop one spinner for a seamer considering the fact that the conditions are likely to assist seam and swing.

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India may have announced the playing 11 but they can still alter it as, according to the rule, the starting XI can be changed till both the captains have exchanged the team sheets at the toss.

Since the toss hasn’t taken place, the Virat Kohli-led management can still change the starting XI.

“See, they might have announced the team yesterday, [but] nothing is finalized until the captains share the sheets with each other during the toss. So, you can change the team till the very last moment. As a captain, when I used to be confused between playing a spinner or an extra batsman, I used to see the opposition’s eleven and scratch and change the team on my paper just before the toss,” Sunil Gavaskar told Aaj Tak.

“So, the eleven can be changed anytime before the toss. So I feel like maybe they’ll think of playing another batsman because of the weather. Because these conditions are suitable for New Zealand fast bowlers so Rishabh Pant is at six, he might shift to seven and an extra batsman might play. Seeing this weather, one spinner might be dropped.” he added.

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Should India opt to make changes to their playing 11, the think tank will have to make a tough decision of leaving out one of their spinners in Jadeja and Ashwin.

Both spinners have a strong case to force the management to select them. While Jadeja is averaging 55 with the bat and 26 with the ball in Test cricket since the start of 2018, Ashwin has been at the peak of his powers in the last 7-8 months, and the presence of three left-handers in New Zealand playing 11 makes his axing from the playing 11 even more difficult.

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