Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar believes that India might have announced their playing XI for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand, but there is still nothing finalized until Virat Kohli reveals the team sheet as he is confident of changes in the playing XI for the big final.
Talks about the change in the playing XI in both India and New Zealand have begun among the cricketers both former and current after the opening day of the WTC 2021 Final was called off without even the toss due to rain on Friday (June 18) at The Ageas Bowl in Southampton.
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As Team India has already announced their playing XI with two spinners, three pacers, and six specialist batters, former Indian captain believes that the rainy weather in England may force India to make a late change in their Playing XI for the WTC Final in Southampton.
He also suggested that the Indian cricket team play an extra batsman and drop one spinner from their eleven since the conditions at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton might suit New Zealand pacers more.
Gavaskar told Aaj Tak: “They might have announced the team yesterday, [but] nothing is finalized until the captains share the sheets with each other during the toss. So, you can change the team till the very last moment.
As a captain, when I used to be confused between playing a spinner or an extra batsman, I used to see the opposition’s eleven and scratch and change the team on my paper just before the toss. So, the eleven can be changed any time before the toss.”
The legendary batsman also advised India to play Rishabh Pant one position down from No. 6 in order to insert another batsman in the line-up for the WTC 2021 Final against New Zealand.
He added, “So I feel like maybe they’ll think of playing another batsman because of the weather. Because these conditions are suitable for New Zealand fast bowlers so Rishabh Pant is at six, he might shift to seven and an extra batsman might play. Seeing this weather, one spinner might be dropped.”
With the forecast for Day 2 slightly better than the opening day in Southampton, Gavaskar feels the team winning the toss will field first given the grass on the Ageas Bowl pitch.
He signed off by saying, “Yes that will be the thinking of both the captains. It has been raining since yesterday so the groundsmen haven’t got the chance to trim the grass and roll the pitch. There will definitely be some grass then.
That’s why I feel that as both India and New Zealand have brilliant new-ball attacks, they’ll want to safeguard their own batters and field first (if they win the toss). If they can pick up 3-4 wickets in the first hour, the match will be in their control.”
