India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh heaped praise on Mohammed Siraj, saying the pacer deserves a place in Team India’s playing XI for the much-awaited ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand given his “remarkable improvement” in the last two years.
He also feels Siraj can pip Ishant Sharma for a place in India’s final XI alongside first-choice bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami for the WTC 2021 Final to be played from June 18-22 in Southampton
Harbhajan told PTI, “If I was the captain, I would go with three pure fast bowlers. In that case, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami pick themselves. In this final, I would like to go with Mohammed Siraj ahead of Ishant Sharma. Ishant is a brilliant bowler but for this game, my choice is Siraj, who has shown remarkable improvement in the last two years.”
The off-spinner further noted, “You have to look at the present scenario. Siraj’s form, pace, and confidence make him a better choice for this final match. The kind of form he is in the last six months, he looks like a bowler who is hungry for his chances. Ishant has gone through some injuries of late but has been a great servant of Indian cricket no doubt.
If you leave some grass on the surface, Siraj with his pace will be lethal. Trust me, New Zealand batters won’t find him easy as he not only hits the deck but also gets to move the ball off the pitch at a brisk pace. He can create awkward angles for batsmen.”
On what about Siraj impressed him in the IPL 2021, Harbhajan said: “I saw him during 2019 when Andre Russell blasted him to all corners of the ground. This year I saw him bowl some really accurate yorkers and consistently hitting the right spot ball after ball. The pace has also increased.
Russell was beaten for pace during a couple of deliveries. It’s the confidence that he gained by playing for India. He would look into batsmen’s eyes and batters are on back-foot.”
Meanwhile, Harbhajan also believes that Shubman Gill must get back into his form after a poor showing in the last Test series against England at home and in the IPL 2021 to give the Indian cricket team a good start on England’s swing friendly conditions.
He further explained, “A good first innings score of 375 to 400 will set up the match nicely for Indian pace attack. But for that Gill needs to bat well. Rohit Sharma has had enormous white-ball success in England during World Cup and he is an experienced hand.
You don’t want a situation where Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara are every time walking in at 15 for 2. You should also give a start which allows them to build and consolidate.”
He further went on to suggest that India can go with two spinners according to the climate in Southampton and should take the final call just before the WTC Final against New Zealand.
The off-spinner further explained, “You play two spinners when the climate is on the hotter side. The cracks will appear and they will both be effective. If it remains on the cooler side, the pitch which comprises mainly of black soil won’t break. They can take a final call factoring in the weather just before the game and also taking the five-day forecast into the account.
I don’t see a case for four pacers with no Hardik Pandya in the set-up. You can only play four pacers if the pitch can’t be distinguished from the outfield. But yes, how much they will come into play if it's cold remains a question as there might not be much help from the surface. Two spinners always give you chance to rotate your fast bowlers while playing four fast men means one will certainly be under-bowled.”
Harbhajan also said the veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is an automatic choice for number seven for India in the WTC 2021 Final given his batting skills and spin ability.
He signed off by saying, “If you look at Jaddu’s batting performances in England, it’s as good as anyone. He has multiple half-centuries and he is top class bowling operator. The moment you don’t have Hardik to lend balance, Jaddu automatically fits.”
(With PTI Inputs)
