India is facing several challenges ahead of the World Test Championship final against Australia in June. KL Rahul, the top-order wicketkeeper-batter, has ruled himself out due to a thigh injury and will undergo surgery. With Rahul out, Kona Srikar Bharat is the only designated wicketkeeper-batter left in the side, but he only has four games of experience. The Indian team may consider Ishan Kishan or veteran Wriddhiman Saha as options.
India also needs someone at No.6 who can balance the innings, and Suryakumar Yadav is a possible replacement option. Another option is drafting pace bowling allrounder Hardik Pandya into the playing XI, considering the pacer-friendly conditions in England. Among the pacers India named in the WTC final squad, only Mohammad Shami and Mohammed Siraj are fit so far and certain to make the playing XI. Shardul Thakur is not bowling regularly for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2023 and had also missed a few games due to injury. Left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat is also racing against time to be fit before the WTC final.
India’s Test Squad WTC Final:
– Rohit Sharma (c)
– Shubman Gill
– Cheteshwar Pujara
– Virat Kohli
– Ajinkya Rahane
– KS Bharat (wk)
– Ravichandran Ashwin
– Ravindra Jadeja
– Axar Patel
– Shardul Thakur
– Mohammad Shami
– Mohammed Siraj
– Umesh Yadav
– Jaydev Unadkat.
