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India’s Probable Squad For ICC World Test Championship Final vs New Zealand: Will Hardik Pandya, Prithvi Shaw, Prasidh Krishna Make Virat Kohli-Led Side?

WTC Final: So, what will be the Indian team, and more importantly - who would be the new faces?

India’s Probable Squad For WTC Final

With the IPL 2021 now suspended amid the Covid-19 crisis in India, the focus automatically shifts to the next big cricketing event – the inaugural ICC World Test Championship final. With the game set to take place in Southampton, England – both India and New Zealand – the finalists – would be mentally building up for the event in difficult times. The summit clash between the top two Test sides in the world will start on June 18.

The BCCI is set to announce the Virat Kohli-led Indian team on Friday. As per reports, the selection panel is going to pick a jumbo squad for the event as the five-match Tests versus England follow next. With the UK travel restrictions making things tricky with each passing day, the BCCI opted not to take a risk and have hence decided to send a massive contingent.

Reports had earlier stated that the side would leave in the first week of June – but that has been preponed due to the travel restrictions in some countries for Indians.

BCCI is in constant touch with their English counterpart to find a way to make things happen and get the permits from the UK government on time.

A secure bio-security bubble has to be created, the SOP’s will have to be in place for the marquee event.

So, what will be the Indian team, and more importantly – who would be the new faces?

It is expected that the selectors will pick four openers, about four to five middle-order batsmen, eight to nine pacers, four to five spinners, and two to three wicketkeepers. If a 25-member squad is selected, it is likely that Harshal Patel, who has been in top form in the seven IPL matches, could be rewarded with a maiden national cap.

Also, Prasidh Krishna – who has been picked in the limited-overs format – could get his maiden Test call. Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Prithvi Shaw, Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mayank Agarwal, and Ravindra Jadeja would be making a comeback in the side.

India’s Probable 25-Member Squad For WTC Final: Virat Kohli (C), Ajinkya Rahane (VC), Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Prithvi Shaw, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rishabh Pant (WK), Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini, Prasidh Krishna, Umesh Yadav, Harshal Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Shardul Thakur

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