Ajinkya Rahane returns to 15-member Team India for WTC Final
The BCCI, on Tuesday, announced Team India's squad for the upcoming ICC World Test Championship final, starting June 7 at the Oval. Ajinkya Rahane returns to the Test squad on the back of his impactful IPL knocks. He has been a seasoned campaigner in English conditions. KL Rahul also returns to the mix after he was dropped for the Australia series. Here's more.
Indian squad for the WTC final
Indian 15-member squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, K L Rahul, KS Bharat (wicket-keeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav and Jaydev Unadkat.
The return of Rahane
Rahane has returned to the Indian team after 15 months. He will be keen to make a mark if he gets the chance. His prior experience in England will help the team. Since 2020, Rahane owns a Test average of only 24.08 and has registered a ton and three fifties. In England, he has slammed 729 Test runs at 26.03 (100: 1, 50s: 5).
Rahane's resurgence in IPL 2023
Rahane was bought by CSK for Rs. 50 lakh this season. Not a part of CSK's original XI, he replaced the injured Ben Stokes. Rahane played against Mumbai Indians, and to everyone's surprise, he slammed a 27-ball 61. His scores in IPL 2023 read 61, 31, 37, 9 and 71*. Rahane has smoked 209 runs in five innings with a strike rate of 199.05.
Shreyas, Bumrah, and Pant miss out due to injuries
Rahane's inclusion is mainly to add an extra middle-order option due to Shreyas Iyer's injury. Iyer opted to get operated on his injured back and hence was out of the WTC final in June. Meanwhile, Jasprit Bumrah, who is also out with a back injury has undergone surgery and continues to recover. Rishabh Pant is also going through rehabilitation following the car crash.
Plenty of bowling options for India
The spin trio of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel has done wonders for India in recent times. The English conditions will favor the pacers more, and therefore, Shardul Thakur and Umesh Yadav's inclusion will add depth. Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami have looked sharp, and they have carried their form to the IPL as well. Jaydev Unadkat remains as a left-arm alternative.
No place for Suryakumar Yadav
Suryakumar Yadav, who made his Test debut against Australia in Nagpur earlier this year, does not find himself in the squad. He couldn't do much in his debut game, and also his poor form in the following ODI series has led to this call.
India and Australia's journey to the WTC Final
India started their WTC campaign in England where they managed a 2-2 draw. They later defeated New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and ultimately Australia to qualify for the final. They finished with a point percentage of 58.80 and took the second spot. Australia, on the other hand, defeated England, Pakistan, and South Africa to top the table with 66.67 points percentage.
