WTC final: [In Pictures] Team India sweat it out in an intrasquad match
Indian players are back on the cricket field in preparation for the World Test Championship final against New Zealand. Team India were captured playing an intrasquad game at Southampton.
The BCCI shared some pictures on Twitter where we can see Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Shubman Gill and Cheteshwar Pujara in action in the practice game.
India's opponents New Zealand are currently busy in the second of the two-match Test series against England, gaining some much-needed practice ahead of the mega encounter. India will be eager to acclimatize to the English conditions by playing practice games among themselves. The Men in Blue will also be keen to adapt to playing with the Dukes ball, which is often a tough challenge for the batsmen to tackle in English conditions.
Harbhajan Singh weighs in on Team India's bowling combination for WTC final
Picking the right playing XI will be key for India to go past New Zealand in the all-important clash. Harbhajan Singh recently weighed in on the debate and urged Team India to pick Mohammad Siraj instead of the more experienced Ishant Sharma in the playing XI.
"If I was the captain, I would go with three pure fast bowlers. In that case, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami pick themselves. In this final, I would like to go with Mohammed Siraj ahead of Ishant Sharma.
"Ishant is a brilliant bowler, but for this game, my choice is Siraj, who has shown remarkable improvement in the last two years. You have to look at the present scenario. Siraj's form, pace and confidence make him a better choice for this final match," Harbhajan told PTI on Thursday.
Given the absence of Hardik Pandya, Harbhajan reckons starting Ravindra Jadeja in the playing XI is a no-brainer for the Men in Blue.
"If you look at Jaddu's batting performances in England, it's as good as anyone. He has multiple half-centuries, and he is a top-class bowling operator. The moment you don't have Hardik to lend balance, Jaddu automatically fits," Harbhajan added.
With the final just a week away, Team India will be looking to iron out any flaws in their game and get up to match speed ahead of the WTC final.