As the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final draws near, former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh voiced his choice for the team’s wicketkeeper, expressing his preference for the experienced Wriddhiman Saha. Harbhajan emphasized Saha’s vast knowledge and proficiency in the longer format of the game.
While Wriddhiman Saha has not been in the selectors’ plans since his last Test match in 2021 against New Zealand, Harbhajan Singh believes the seasoned batter should have been given the nod for the prestigious WTC final against New Zealand. Saha missed out on the opportunity to feature in the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) against Australia due to the absence of Rishabh Pant.
Speaking on Star Sports, Harbhajan Singh advocated for KS Bharat to take up the wicketkeeping duties in the upcoming WTC final at the Oval in London, as he has been playing consistently. However, he made it clear that if Wriddhiman Saha had been available, he would have been his first choice due to his extensive experience and superior wicketkeeping skills.
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“If KL Rahul was fit, I would have played him ahead of KS Bharat at No. 5-6 because he’s an opener and his game is good. He would’ve been my wicketkeeper too,” Harbhajan added, highlighting Rahul’s versatility and suitability for the role. Srikar Bharat, who played all four matches against Australia in the BGT series, had a modest performance, scoring only 101 runs in six innings at an average of 20.20, with a highest score of 44.
Harbhajan Singh also touched upon the potential combination of spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, emphasizing that their inclusion would depend on the pitch conditions. He stated that if the weather is hot and the pitch lacks grass, playing both spinners would be a viable option. However, in other scenarios, he suggested going with three seamers, along with Ravindra Jadeja and the versatile Shardul Thakur, who can contribute with both bat and ball.
Team India Squad for WTC Final against Australia:
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)
Standby players:
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar, Suryakumar Yadav
As the cricketing world eagerly awaits the highly anticipated WTC final, Harbhajan Singh’s insights and opinions provide valuable perspectives on team composition and strategy. The selection of the wicketkeeper and the spin options will play crucial roles in India’s quest for victory, adding further excitement to this ultimate battle for Test cricket supremacy.