WTC Final: Batting big worry; India find strength in Kohli, Shami and Gill

Virat Kohli is back in form just ahead of the World Test Championship Final. Alongside him, India will bank Shubman Gill and Mohammed Shami for the all-important event

Having lost the previous final in 2021 against New Zealand, the wounds would be fresh in the hearts of all the Indian players, as the team is more or less the same for this edition of the World Test Championship Final. The opponents though have changed this time around. Rohit Sharma led India would be up against Pat Cummins’ Australia in the Test starting June 7, 2023, at the Kia Oval in London, England. 

Having played two months of IPL, the Indian players would have to not only acclimatise to the English conditions but also the red ball game. India last played a Test match in March. 

The form of Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill and Mohammed Shami though would give some confidence to the team as these three players played cracking cricket in IPL. However, India’s batting worries will continue to haunt them as apart from Kohli and Gill, none of the players look in sublime touch to ace the Aussie pace attack. 

Here’s a detailed SWOT analysis of India’s chances of lifting the trophy in the second go

Also Read: WTC Final: Australia to rely on bowling against India amid batting woes

India’s squad for the WTC Final

Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, KS Bharat (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Ishan Kishan (wk)

Strengths

The form of Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill and Mohd Shami

Shubman Gill was in scintillating form in the entire IPL 2023, scoring 890 runs at an average of 59.33 and a strike rate of 157. The strike rate won’t matter much, but the shots that he played in the IPL were pure cricketing shots and merit his selection in the Test team. Before the IPL too, he looked in good touch. Now it will all be about showing enough patience before he gets driving balls from the Aussie pacers. 

If Gill hit three centuries in four games, Virat Kohli was not far behind, hitting back-to-back centuries in his last two games. His team didn’t qualify to play any further games. He looks in good touch and his footwork is as nibble as it gets. Gill and Kohli would be the backbone of Indian batting. 

Mohd Shami has been in great touch with the ball too. The most important factor in his bowling was his lengths. Most of the deliveries that fetched him a wicket were bowled on Test ball lengths, giving him confidence before the all-important WTC final. The right arm quick 28 wickets in 17 matches. 

Pujara playing county cricket and Rahane the IPL

Apart from the form of the three mainstays of the team, Cheteshwar Pujara playing county cricket and Ajinkya Rahane finding his mojo back in the IPL would be added advantage. In his eight innings, Pujara scored three centuries for Sussex, announcing his ability to play in the swinging conditions of England. Rahane looked fearless and attacking in his stint in the IPL, scoring 326 runs in 11 innings at a strike rate of 172. 

More than form, it is Rahane’s attitude that would matter on the ground. He doesn’t seem to be in fear of losing his place in the Test side and that is more important. For Pujara, it is always form and he looks in great touch anyways. Thus these two old warhorses could be of great aid to India this time around. 

Weaknesses

Lacking batting depth 

Apart from Pujara, no Indian batter has played red-ball cricket in the last three months. There is no doubting the form of Kohli and Gill in the IPL and Pujara in county cricket. But those runs were not made against the bowling lineup as strong as Australia’s. There was no swing, no seam on offer, n o left-arm pacer swinging the ball back into the right-handers at more than 140 kmph.   

If we take out Gill, Kohli and Pujara, the rest of the Indian batters were not in great form even in the IPL. Rohit was dismal with the bat, KS Bharat remained untested and Rahane got quickfire runs, but could not play big innings apart from the one against KKR. 

Jadeja Shardul Thakur could not be trusted to play the long-haul innings in the longest format anyways. Thus the Indian team lacks depth in the batting department. 

Finding the right balance with bat and ball

Apart from the batting depth, India would also have to deal with finding the right balance. If they go in with six five batters and one all-rounder in Jadeja, they would miss out on the services of Ravichandran Ashwin. If they decide to go in with Ashwin in place of Shardul Thakur or Umesh Yadav, they would have only three pacers in the swinging conditions of the Oval. It is not an ideal scenario, especially if India win the toss and bowl first. 

The Indian team also doesn't have the services of a left-arm pacer or a leg-break spinner. Having at least one of the above two is almost essential in Test cricket these days. Hence the problems remain plenty, but the solution is just one for the Indian Test unit- win the cup and shut all mouths pointing at the problems. 

India’s predicted playing 11 for WTC Final

Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, KS Bharat (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin/ Shardul Thakur, Mohd Shami, Umesh Yadav, Mohd Siraj