WTC Final: "India would have had an advantage if they had picked a seam-bowling all-rounder instead of Ravindra Jadeja"- Aqib Javed
Aqib Javed has opined that India would have had an advantage in the World Test Championship Final if they picked a seam-bowling all-rounder in the playing XI. The former Pakistan pacer said India could have picked a seam-bowling all-rounder in the playing XI in place of Ravindra Jadeja.
During his appearance on Salman Butt's YouTube channel, Aqib Javed offered his views on the ongoing World Test Championship Final between India and New Zealand. When asked if the Indian team management was right to pick two spinners in the playing XI for a match in pace-friendly conditions, Aqib replied:
"India would have had an extra advantage if they named a seam-bowling all-rounder in the playing XI instead of Ravindra Jadeja. But India and Pakistan have always had the ideology that the foreign batsmen do not play so well against the spinners. India could have picked Ashwin and a seam-bowling all-rounder instead of selecting both spinners."
So far in the match, both Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin have done a good job for India. They picked up three wickets in their 22.2 overs during the Blackcaps' first innings, conceding only 48 runs. The Indian duo also scored 37 runs in India's first innings.
India's opener Shubman Gill does not look like a modern era T20 player: Salman Butt
While Aqib Javed believes India missed a trick by not naming a seam-bowling all-rounder in the playing XI, former Pakistan skipper Salman Butt heaped praise on Indian opener Shubman Gill for his batting performance in Southampton.
Playing his first Test in English conditions, Shubman scored 28 runs off 64 deliveries in the first innings and provided a good start for India. Unfortunately, he managed only eight runs in the second innings. Butt felt Gill looked like a player from another era in the WTC Final.
"India's opener Shubman Gill scored only 28 runs, but he looked in so much control during his innings. He played the new ball so well that he did not look like a modern era, T20 era player. His basics are excellent," Salman Butt said.
Shubman Gill departed early for the pavilion on Day 5, but Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja batted well for India in the second innings. The duo took the team's lead past 100 in the second session of the reserve day.
You can follow the live scorecard of the India vs New Zealand WTC Final right here.