WTC Final: 3 Indian players who shone in the inaugural ICC event
India may have lost the World Test Championship (WTC) final, however, there were a few bright spots for Virat Kohli & co. ahead of the hectic five-match Test series against England.
India will take heart from the performances of some of their key players. The likes of Mohammed Shami and Ravichandran Ashwin punched well above their weight in the all-important clash, which augurs well for the side.
With the WTC final now all wrapped up, we take a look at some of the players who were the bright spots for India.
#1 Mohammed Shami
The pacer was instrumental in bundling NZ out for 249 in the first innings. His figures of 4/76 helped India's batters overcome the deficit and gain a quick lead.
Mohammed Shami making Kiwi batsmen uncomfortable in the second innings was another example of how the tearway quick managed to nail his lengths right. He may have gone wicketless, but there was enough to suggest that he was a quick-learner and adapted to English conditions quickly.
#2 R Ashwin: Unarguably India's best bowler in the WTC
With 71 wickets, Ravichandran Ashwin not only topped the tournament's wicket charts, but also cemented his name as one of India's most dependable bowlers irrespective of the conditions.
The spinner was the lone wicket-taker in the second innings on a strip that was conducive for batting. In the first inning, he picked up the key wicket of Tom Latham.
#3 Rohit Sharma
Sharma's rapid ascendancy in Tests made him the first-choice opener for the side. While he may not have had the runs to show for in the WTC final, his experience and his fluent shot-making helped India get off to a good start.
The batsman looked all set for big scores after reaching 30s in both innings, but was dismissed before he could push on. His ability to guide fellow opener Shubman Gill just adds to why the Hitman was one of India's best performers.
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