India Squad WTC Final: ICC World Test Championships Final – Still three months away, BCCI has already begun planning for the WTC Final in Oval. While the board is in touch with England & Wales Cricket Board to arrange a 3-day practice game, the selectors are discussing a plan to keep KL Rahul in the Playing XI after an unimpressive display by KS Bharat in Rishabh Pant’s absence. They want the sacked vice-captain to keep wickets in the WTC Final to justify selection. In the meantime, selectors also want to have Suryakumar Yadav as an enforcer in the middle order if Shreyas Iyer doesn’t make it in time for WTC Final. Follow India vs Australia LIVE Updates on InsideSport.IN.
However, a decision on KL Rahul’s keeping duties will be taken during IPL 2023. The reason is his history of injuries and the selectors want to keep a tab on how Rahul holds up. If he passes with flying colours, it is all but likely that KL Rahul will keep wickets. But a point to be noted is that KL has never kept wickets in Tests.
“Yes, that’s the plan for now. Rahul keeping wickets will help us in many ways. We can tinker with the bowling combination as well as have an extra batter. But it will obviously depend on how KL holds up during IPL. We will take a call close to the squad announcement. But in any case, Bharat will be there. He needs the experience of being around big matches,” a senior BCCI official told InsideSport.
India Squad WTC Final: Who will get the go?
- Shubman Gill is now India’s all-format player. With the performances he has shown, he will keep his place.
- But Gill will be dropped down to the middle order with KL Rahul opening with Rohit Sharma.
- Despite a poor run of form, KL Rahul’s record in England on the last tour works for him.
- However, to justify his selection, he will have to don the big gloves in a Test.
- KS Bharat did not help his cause with the bat in the Border Gavaskar Trophy in Rishabh Pant’s absence.
- Instead, the selectors want him to continue to develop in other Tests while in the one-off WTC Final, Rahul is likely to keep.
- Rahul keeping wickets will open up a space in the Playing XI.
- India can ideally play one extra batter in Axar Patel.
- Suryakumar Yadav will be the enforcer in the middle order if Shreyas Iyer is not fit by June and should he require surgery.
- In bowling department, India will have Umesh Yadav and Jaydev Unadkat travelling and one of them will play in the final.
KL Rahul to keep wickets in WTC Final?
The idea has been echoed by two former India players. Sanjay Manjrekar and Ravi Shastri both backed Rahul to keep wickets to help create a space for Axar Patel. However, Shastri is of the idea that Rahul should be India’s No 5 at Oval with Shubman opening alongside Rohit.
“He (KL Rahul) will have an eye on the World Test Championship. India will have a lot of strength in their batting if he can keep wickets. He is the ideal man to bat at No 5. In England, there isn’t much spin, he will have to stand up for the seamers,” Ravi Shastri said during the IND vs AUS 1st ODI
Meanwhile, BCCI Selection Committee led by Shiv Sunder Das will announce the squad for WTC Final in April. India qualified for the WTC Final behind Australia after New Zealand beat Sri Lanka in the 1st Test. However, Shreyas Iyer is doubtful for the clash with a back injury.
Shreyas Iyer was ruled out of the ODI series and did not bat in the 4th Test. The BCCI nor the NCA has issued a timeline for his return. As things stand, Iyer is likely to miss the first half of the IPL. But the return could be longer should surgery be considered.
“We have time but it looks difficult for Shreyas. If he is available, he will definitely be in the squad. But we have to wait and see how it turns out,” a senior BCCI official told InsideSport.
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