“Indian team is better prepared” – Sunil Gavaskar sends warning to Australia ahead of WTC final
Sunil Gavaskar feels that Team India are better prepared than rivals Australia for the ICC World Championship final (WTC) final.
The former captain reckons that the Indian players will surely benefit from the recently concluded IPL 2023. The 73-year-old added that the entire team, including Cheteshwar Pujara, will take momentum into the one-off Test.
Speaking to Sports Tak, Gavaskar said:
“The Australian players have played absolutely no cricket of late. When you have to play such a big match, you'd want some mileage. The Indian players have that mileage as they have played. Everyone has played."
He continued:
"Cheteshwar Pujara, who wasn't a part of the IPL, played the County Championship, hitting hundreds for fun. The others have also played a lot of cricket. I believe that the Indian team is better prepared.”
Pujara, in particular, recently amassed 545 runs in eight innings, including three tons, while representing Sussex in the County Championship division two.
Cheteshwar Pujara has 545 runs at an average of 68.12 with three 100s. These are great signs just before the all important WTC final.
#WTCFinal #Pujara https://t.co/H5klYzspF0
Meanwhile, the likes of Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, and Mohammed Siraj will look to carry their sublime form in the WTC final.
Gill won the Orange cap for scoring the most runs in IPL 2023, i.e., 870 runs in 17 games, including three tons. Kohli slammed 639 runs in 14 matches, including two back-to-back centuries and six fifties. Rahane too finished with 326 runs in 16 games, including a couple of half-centuries.
However, several Australian players like David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, and Cameron Green will also look to carry their IPL 2023 form into the WTC final.
“This team will bring the trophy home” – Sunil Gavaskar hails the Indian bowling unit ahead of WTC final
Sunil Gavaskar believes that the likes of Mohammed Shami, and Mohammed Siraj will dominate the likes of Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc because of their continuity in the WTC final.
The cricketer-turned-commentator added that spin duo Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin further boosts the Indian bowling department. He said:
“How will the likes of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood find their rhythm as they don't have any mileage? On the other hand, we saw how Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj bowled in the IPL."
Gavaskar added:
"Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin also picked up wickets. India are completely ready, and I am confident that this team will bring the trophy home.”
For the uninitiated, Shami emerged as the highest wicket-taker in IPL 2023, picking up 28 wickets in 17 games. Siraj, meanwhile, returned with 19 scalps in 14 matches.
Jadeja and Ashwin finished with 20 and 14 scalps in 16 and 14 games, respectively. Jadeja also chipped in with the bat, scoring 190 runs in the recently concluded tournament.