Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra opined that Team India should play Shubman Gill and Mohammad Shami ahead of Mayank Agarwal and Mohammed Siraj in their playing XI for the ICC World Test Championship final (WTC) against New Zealand.
Shubman Gill was one of the most impressive talents in India’s triumph over Australia in the four-Test series down under. The 21-year-old impressed everyone with his elegant stroke-play at the top of the order and had a fine start to his Test career, scoring 259 runs in three Tests, including two half-centuries.
Gill, however, failed to carry his form in the four-Test series against England. The opener amassed only 119 runs and didn’t look convincing in the COVID-19 hit IPL 2021, where he scored only 133 runs in the 7 matches he played.
Shubman Gill would prefer playing in World Test Championship final over the T20 World Cup final
In a video on his YouTube Channel, former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra said that Team India should play Shubman Gill ahead of Mayank Agarwal despite being in poor form and not to compromise on continuity. He added that by making changes again and again they won’t able to make a team or player.
"Between Gill and Mayank, you will have to go towards Gill and you should go as well because Shubman Gill played in your last Test series. He may not have scored the runs but it is better not to compromise the continuity for everyone, even for the player.
"If you keep on changing, again and again, you will neither be able to make a team or a player. So, I will go with Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma as my two openers," Aakash Chopra said in a video posted on his YouTube Channel.
In the absence of Mohammad Shami, Mohammed Siraj impressed everyone with his bowling performance in Australia down under. The pacer was the leading wicket-taker for India with 13 wickets in 3 matches.
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The 27-year old made decent contributions with the ball in the Test series against England at home and was a revelation with the ball in the IPL 2021, where he bagged 6 wickets in 7 and showed great discipline at the death.
Talking about the pace-attack, Aakash Chopra said that Mohammad Shami should start in England as wrist position will make him a lethal option.
"I will go with Mohammad Shami. It is because Shami is pedigree. If you see the English conditions, Shami's wrist position is the best in the world, no one releases the ball better from the hand than him," he said.
Team India will lock horns in the WTC final against New Zealand, which will be played from June 18-22, with 23rd being a reserve day. After that the Virat Kohli-led side will engage in a five-match Test series against England, starting 4th August.
