Former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has expressed his belief that the Indian team should field two spinners in the World Test Championship final against Australia, led by Rohit Sharma, at The Oval, provided the conditions favour such a strategy. Two years ago, India had opted for Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja as their two spinners for the inaugural WTC final against New Zealand in Southampton. However, the match was largely influenced by overcast conditions, diminishing the impact of spin as New Zealand emerged victorious with a five-man fast-bowling lineup. With sunny weather prevailing in London, there is a possibility that India might be tempted to include both left-arm spin all-rounder Jadeja and off-spin all-rounder Ashwin in the playing eleven, as suggested by Harbhajan.
#TeamIndia members begin their preparations for the #WTC23 at Arundel Castle Cricket Club. pic.twitter.com/2kvGyjWNF7
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According to Harbhajan, “This all depends on what the pitch is saying, if the pitch has less grass and the sun is out, then play with two spinners. If that is not the case then play three seamers and Ravindra Jadeja, along with Shardul Thakur who will not only bowl but contribute with the bat as well,” as he was quoted by Star Sports.
Another decision India needs to make is regarding their wicketkeeper for the crucial WTC final, choosing between KS Bharat and Ishan Kishan. While Bharat performed the wicketkeeping duties during India’s triumphant 2-1 series against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this year, Kishan is yet to make his Test debut. Bharat had previously played in England as part of the India A squad in 2018 and was part of the main squad during last year’s tour, where he scored an unbeaten 70 and kept wickets in the tour match against Leicestershire.
Harbhajan voiced his preference for Bharat over Kishan, citing Bharat’s consistent performance in the longer format of the game. He stated, “No, I don’t think he (Kishan) should be in the starting 11 because KS Bharat has been playing consistently for some time.” Harbhajan also mentioned that if experienced players like Wriddhiman Saha or KL Rahul were available, he would consider them due to their superior skills and experience in the role of a wicketkeeper.
Ultimately, the Indian team will need to carefully weigh their options and analyze the pitch conditions before finalizing their playing eleven for the highly anticipated World Test Championship final against Australia.
