WTC Final: Ravi Shastri Picks His Best India-Australia XI for the Clash

Former Team India coach Ravi Shastri has picked his best India-Australia XI in Test cricket among current players. While speaking to host Sanjana Ganesan on an episode of the ICC Review, Shastri stated having a hard time choosing the players from the two World Test Championship finalists as well. Shastri picked Rohit Sharma as his opener and admitted that Pat Cummins is a great choice as captain, but highlighted that Rohit has more experience too as well. He said:

“I would give the captaincy to Rohit because he’s much more experienced than Pat. He’s been around and he’s captained sides for a long time. If Steve Smith was captain of Australia, then maybe it’s a different story, but since it’s Pat Cummins and Rohit Sharma, Rohit wins it. Plus, you know, as a captain, you’re a certainty in the XI so he opens the batting.”

He also added that it was tough to choose between Shubman Gill and Usman Khawaja to partner Rohit at the top, but he decided to go with Khawaja, given his outstanding show in the last two years. He said:

“It’s a tight one between Usman Khawaja and Shubman Gill. Shubman is the rising young star and he’s a terrific player, but Usman Khawaja, just by current form and the number of runs he’s got over the last couple of years, I think he gets in there.”

The former cricketer then picked Marnus Labuschagne, Virat Kohli, and Steve Smith to seal the next three spots. He also said that Labuschagne’s batting average of nearly 60 makes him a ‘no-brainer’. At number six, Ravi Shastri chose veteran left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja and rated him ahead of Ben Stokes as an all-rounder, saying:

“Number three is a no-brainer as Marnus has been outstanding in Test match cricket. He averages close to 60, so he gets in there straight away. Kohli at four for just what he’s done over the years and Smith at five for what he’s done over the years and the kind of quality they bring to the table. At No.6, I get in Jadeja, because I believe he is one of the best all-rounders in the world. We know there’s Ben Stokes, but Ben has had problems with his fitness, so Jadeja comes in there and gives a lot of balance to that side.”

WTC Final: India and Australia are all set to take each other in the all-important clash

Ravi Shastri further picked Nathan Lyon over Ravichandran Ashwin as the second spinner due to his overseas record as well. However, Lyon, Australia’s best off-spinner, was their highest wicket-taker in the four-match Test series in India earlier this year. Although he had a forgettable start to the series, he picked up a fifer in the next two Tests to finish with 22 scalps at 22.36 as well. He shared:

“The reason why I picked Nathan Lyon ahead of Ashwin is because of Nathan’s overseas record. Not just in Australia, but outside Australia and Lyon is probably stronger to bowl those overs in England if needed. So he comes in with Jadeja as the second spinner, with Jadeja more the all-rounder and Lyon the spinner.”

When he was asked about his choice of pace bowlers, Ravi Shastri said that Pat Cummins and Mohammed Shami are his first-choice pacers as well. Ravi Shastri added:

“Cummins, of course, for me, he’s a top-class operator and Mohammed Shami, he’s like vintage and he’s just getting better and better as we’re seeing in this IPL. And stronger. So he comes in there. And then it was a tough one between Hazelwood, Starc and there’s Cameron Green also there. But I preferred Jadeja because you get a better balance with two spinners, three fast bowlers, out and out fast bowlers and I would take Starc (to complement them) because of pace and variety being the left-armer.”

Ravi Shastri’s combined India-Australia Test XI team for WTC Final:

Rohit Sharma (c), Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Ravindra Jadeja, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Mohammad Shami