ICC WTC Final 2021: It Would Have Been Better If India Included A Fast-Bowling All-Rounder: Amit Mishra

Former Indian leg-spinner Amit Mishra has opined that the Virat Kohli-led Indian management may have missed a trick by not including a seam-bowling all-rounder in place of one of the spinners for the World Test Championship final clash against New Zealand.

India announced their playing 11 on the eve of the WTC final, in which they have included both the spinners in R. Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.

Mishra reckoned that the playing 11 looks great on paper but he added that they would have been better of by including a seam-bowling all-rounder.

While Mishra did not take any name, it is clear that he was referring to Shardul Thakur as the latter is the only seam-bowling all-rounder in the 20-men contingent.

Thakur, who claimed 7 wickets besides scoring a crucial 5o in the first innings of the Gabba Test, hasn’t been included in the 15-men squad.

“The playing XI looks great. We have Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin, two excellent spinners who can also contribute with the bat. Ashwin and Jadeja’s batting skills will help India a lot,” Amit Mishra said during a video interaction with JK 24×7 news.

“I think India could have named a fast-bowling all-rounder in the playing XI, someone who could have bowled six-seven overs when the regular pacers are tired and the ball is swinging,” he said.

“I think it would have been better if India included a fast-bowling all-rounder. New Zealand have a fast-bowling all-rounder in their squad, so this is the one advantage that the Blackcaps have.” he added.

With the 1st day of the WTC final getting abandoned without a single ball being bowled due to persistent rain, there have been suggestions that Virat Kohli and the management should rethink their playing 11 amid fears that the conditions might reduce the potency of the spinners.

India can still alter their playing 11 as the toss hasn’t taken place yet. However, fielding coach R. Sridhar, during a media interaction after the first-day wash-out, dismissed all the suggestions, stating that the eleven that have been picked by taking the conditions out of the equation.

Also Read-  ICC WTC 2021 Final: R Sridhar Dismisses Suggestions Of India Altering Their Playing 11