'We stand a very good chance'- Sachin Tendulkar on India's odds of winning WTC 2023 final

Sachin Tendulkar also made a request to ICC over saliva ban.

Rohit Sharma and Pat Cummins | Getty Images

Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar believes that Team India has a great chance to win the final of the upcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC 2023) against Australia.

India made it to the WTC Final for the second consecutive time after winning the Border-Gavaskar Trophy by a 2-1 margin against Australia. It was India’s fourth win in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

India will now face Australia in the WTC 2023 Final, which will be played at the Kennington Oval in London from June 7 to 11, and Tendulkar said that they need to pick the squad keeping in mind the conditions.

Sachin Tendulkar said at the India Today Conclave 2023: “We have played well and we have a good team, a balanced team. In those conditions, you have to see the overhead conditions and then also, the forecast comes into play. In Test cricket, you will have to understand conditions for the next five days and pick the squad accordingly.”

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He added, “It would be slightly challenging for a captain to have extra spinners in the team to get the balance right. I am only thinking from India’s point of view, let Australians do what they want to do. We stand a very good chance.”

Tendulkar also wants the ICC to reconsider its decision to ban the use of saliva to shine the ball. The ICC had taken the decision keeping in mind players’ safety after the COVID-19 pandemic broke out.

He signed off by saying, “I am not a medical expert, but saliva on the ball should be back. It has happened for over 100 years and nothing drastic has happened. Yes, the decision was rightly taken in 2020, but that is now behind us. Now, it is something that should be considered.”

 
 

By Rashmi Nanda - 17 Mar, 2023

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