Should India Play Ashwin and Jadeja together in the WTC Final 2023?
Former England skipper Nasser Hussain feels that India should learn from past mistakes in finalising their playing XI if they want to secure the mace
Team India has been a reckoning force in Test Cricket for quite a long time now. Not only at home but it has proved its mettle overseas as well. However, it was just a couple of years ago when a Virat Kohli-led side missed an opportunity of scripting history. In the final of the inaugural World Test Championship in 2021, the Indian cricket team succumbed to an 8-wicket loss in a rain-affected game against New Zealand in Southampton. The Kiwi pacers made the most of the overcast conditions, picking all 20 India scalps whereas Kohli & Co had to pay a heavy price for playing Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin together.
Two years later, the Indian team will have another shot at the title, under a new coach and a new captain. Ahead of the much-anticipated face-off, former England skipper Nasser Hussain feels that India should learn from past mistakes in finalising their playing XI if they want to secure the mace.
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“I think India, as they showed in Australia, can win in any conditions. It helps with the balance of their side if the weather is good and if the sun shines at The Oval, that they can go with their formula of two spinners, two seamers, and have (Shardul) Thakur as your third seamer,” Hussain said on The ICC Review.
“If you look back at the last World Test Championship, I think India read the conditions wrong. The lights were on all five days, it was grey, it was miserable, and it was cold. New Zealand didn’t play a front-line spinner. India played two, and I think seam dominated, swing dominated.
“India have played some good cricket at The Oval. They beat England there last time in a really good game. I think it’s a pretty fair venue,” he added.
Hussain further acknowledged Jadeja and Ashwin offer more than just a bowling threat. The experienced pair have scored eight Test tons between them and Jadeja reached 104 in India’s last red-ball match in England in 2022.
“I would go Jadeja and Ashwin, (for) batting depth. Then you can bat all the way down. Then you can play your best seamers,” Hussain said.
“Jadeja bowled beautifully there against England last time. He held up an end. He got it reverse swinging for them because he hits the scruffy side of the ball as well when he bowls.
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“But what they mustn’t do if it’s rainy and wet and damp and the lights are on and it’s green, then they have to change the balance of their side, which they didn’t do for the World Test Championship last time.
“I would really look at those conditions the day before and on that first morning and not be wary of leaving one of your legends out if conditions demand that. But great bowlers are usually great bowlers in all conditions,” he added.
