WTC final: Was India right in not playing Mohammed Siraj?
Mohammed Siraj's omission from the Team India playing XI sparked intense debate ahead of the World Test Championship (WTC) final. With India now losing the all-important game, their team selection has been cited as one of the reasons behind the loss.
The more pressing question is who would Virat Kohli have dropped to accommodate Siraj in the side? While the most obvious choice would have been Ishant Sharma there are reasons why India chose to play him along with Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah.
India's pace attack was perfect for the WTC final
The conditions at Southampton favor the swing bowlers. With Shami and Ishant capable of generating swing and extracting ample bounce from the surface, the think-tank felt two bowlers with Bumrah (predominantly a bowler of impeccable lengths) would be good enough.
Adding to this, Sharma also had the best bowling average in the league phase of the WTC, making him the first-choice pick over Siraj. The experience he brings to the side makes him an asset, which would have been one of the key factors in the selection process. Sharma's inclusion in the playing XI was justified by the three wickets he picked up in the first innings.
Meanwhile, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja give nothing away and usually manage to grab wickets irrespective of the surface and conditions. This is why they were chosen over Siraj.
Where did India go wrong in the WTC?
Team India's batting in the WTC final against the Black Caps was shoddy. Considering that Indian batsmen faltered in both innings, the goal was far too below par to even create some sort of a challenge for the Kiwi batting unit.
India could have also gone for another extra batsman to bat deep in the innings. Jadeja's inclusion in the team may have been due to the fact that he could bat. However, a specialist batsman would have been more adept and a logical move to make.
Much of India's confidence in their batting stems from the world-class lineup they have. However, an extra batsman for the WTC final would have bolstered their chances of winning the all-important fixture.
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