India vs New Zealand WTC Final- India's Predicted Playing XI

The ICC World Test Championship final is the next big event in the international cricket calendar after the IPL 2021 was suspended by the BCCI. The WTC final between India and New Zealand is a rematch in many ways of the ICC World Cup 2019 semifinal. The final will be played between India and New Zealand in Southampton between June 18-22. Both teams have played some good cricket throughout the tournament and it all culminates in the big final.

The BCCI announced a 15-member squad for the ICC World Test Championship final. Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin are both part of the squad along with five pacers. Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, and Mohammed Siraj form the five-man pace attack. Mayank Agarwal, KL Rahul, Hanuma Vihari, Shardul Thakur are not a part of the squad. In this article, we take a look at India’s predicted XI for the final.

India vs New Zealand WTC Final- India’s Predicted Playing XI

Rohit Sharma

Rohit opens the batting in this big final for India. He is among the two Indian batters who scored over 1000 runs in the tournament with Ajinkya Rahane being the second. Rohit giving his team s good start is indispensable with a strong middle-order to follow. He scored all his runs as an opener in this tournament.

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Shubman Gill

Gill was preferred over the likes of Mayank Agarwal and Prithvi Shaw both of who are not a part of India’s WTC final squad. Gill played some good innings in Australia to win the faith of the selectors but now has a tough job on his hands to open the batting in the toughest of conditions in England. he scored a fifty in India’s practice game which should keep him in good stead.

Cheteshwar Pujara

Pujara is the most important batsman in India’s batting line-up for the ICC World Test Championship final. Pujara scored over 800 runs in the championship without a three-figure score. His job will be to hold one end up and allow the other batsmen to bat around him.

Virat Kohli

Kohli has been without a century since September 2019. Here is his big chance of helping his team win the final by scoring a century in Southampton. He will be up against the likes of Tim Southee, Trent Boult, and Neil Wagner with all three of them targeting his off-stump weakness.

Ajinkya Rahane

Rahane has been criticized for scoring slowly time and again throughout the competition. However, his contribution was invaluable for India’s journey to the ICC World Test Championship final. His team will be wanting key runs from his bat late down the order and some good catches in the slips.

Rishabh Pant

Pant will play as the specialist wicketkeeper-batsman in India’s predicted playing XI line-up. He scored over 600 runs in the WTC campaign with three ninety-plus scored and a century. Quick runs from his bat down the order will be invaluable. He has improved by leaps and bounds with his glovework and needs to put it all together in the big final. he can eventually end up as the Man of the Match.

Ravindra Jadeja

Jadeja with his matchwinning abilities with the bat and the ball slots in at number seven for India. He should play as the second spinner in the playing XI with India playing five bowlers in total. The southpaw is one the best all-rounders across formats and India will need him to come good in the final.

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Ravichandran Ashwin

Ashwin plays as the lead spinner in the line-up. He also gives India the much-needed depth in the batting order. Ashwin with 67 wickets in the championship has a chance to end up as the highest wicket-taker in the competition. he is four behind Pat Cummins’ tally of 71 wickets. With the fourth innings total in Southampton less than 200, Ashwin will be in play.

Mohammed Shami

Shami with his ability to swing the ball will be one of the three pacers to play in the final. He broke his hand in the first Test against Australia in Adelaide after which he was ruled out of the series. He made comeback against England, a series where the Indian spinners were successful. The pitch in Southampton will have pace, bounce, swing and carry which plays into Shami’s hands.

Ishant Sharma

Ishant Sharma should be the second pacer in India’s playing XI for the final. Ishant has the most wickets among the current Indian bowlers in England. Siraj unfortunately has to miss out of Ishant is picked ahead of him.

Jasprit Bumrah

Bumrah culminates what looks like a strong and competitive Indian XI for the ICC World Test Championship final. He has had good rest and is raring to go. Like all the bowlers, he has had enough time to prepare himself and the intra-squad match should have given him an idea of the conditions.

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