WTC Final, 2023: Sachin Tendulkar shares his views on selecting playing XI against Australia

Former India great Sachin Tendulkar, while speaking at a program, has suggested that India should pick their squad as per the conditions for the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia.

The WTC Final will be played in England from June 7-11 and the English conditions are known to be supportive to fast bowlers unlike India’s spin-conducive pitches. Sachin, keeping the conditions in mind, said one has to understand the condition and pick the squad accordingly.

“In Test cricket, you will have to understand conditions for the next five days and pick the squad accordingly. We have played well and we have a good team, a balanced team. 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,” he said at India Today Conclave.

India, who are in the WTC final for the second consecutive time, would be wary of English pitches after losing the first time against New Zealand.

India, however, will be without their frontline pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who has been ruled out of the game itself after undergoing back surgery. In Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur and Umran Malik, India do posses enough firepower in the bowling department though.

The worries although don’t end here for India as their star wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant is also recuperating after a freak car accident is unlikely to play a part in the WTC Final.

Former India players Ravi Shastri and Sunil Gavaskar, however, want out of favour batsman KL Rahul to handle the dual responsibilities of wicket-keeper and batsman instead of Pant’s replacement KS Bharat who recently did the duty behind the wickets in the Border-Gavaskar trophy.

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