The highly anticipated World Test Championship final between India and Australia is just around the corner, set to take place at the historic Oval in London from Wednesday, June 7. This match holds significance as it marks the first-ever Test to be played at The Oval in the month of June, making it difficult to predict the nature of the pitch at this unique time of year.
As India prepares to take on Australia, one of the key challenges they face is selecting the best team combination to dominate their opponents. Amidst discussions on the ideal playing XI, former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra shared his opinion on the matter and revealed his preferred Indian lineup for the summit clash.
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Chopra chose KS Bharat as the wicketkeeper-batter in his XI, favoring him over Ishan Kishan. Additionally, he excluded star off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and opted for the all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. Chopra’s team consists of Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, and Ajinkya Rahane as the five batters, while Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, and Shardul Thakur are the four seamers.
1.Rohit
2.Gill
3.Pujara
4.Kohli
5.Rahane
6.Jadeja
7.Bharat
8.Thakur
9.Shami
10.Umesh
11.SirajHere’s my playing XI for Team India tomorrow…what’s yours? 🫶 #AakashVani #AusvInd #WTCfinal
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) June 6, 2023
It is worth noting that this will be India’s second consecutive appearance in the WTC final, having been defeated by New Zealand by 8 wickets in the inaugural edition. Thus, led by captain Rohit Sharma, the Indian side will be eager to turn the tables this time and secure victory. The team will also be under significant pressure, as they have not won an ICC title since 2013 and are desperate to end their trophy drought by clinching the final.
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In order to make history, Sharma must field the best possible playing XI. Both India and Australia have the opportunity to become the first team to win all the ICC titles, as they have previously won the ODI World Cup, Champions Trophy, and T20 World Cup. Winning the World Test Championship would complete their trophy cabinets, adding to the significance of the upcoming clash.
