Former Indian opening batter Sunil Gavaskar has backed the Indian team to win against Australia in the World Test Championship final in Oval. The 73-year-old feels the Indian team can outplay Australia with their strong batting lineup in England.
With IPL 2023, entering the 2nd stage, BCCI has announced the 15-men squad for WTC final on Tuesday. Besides, Ajinkya Rahane and Shardul Thakur made a stunning return to the squad for the much-awaited Test match against Australia on June 7.
With India announcing the squad for the WTC final, former International cricketers have predicted their choice of winner for the World Test Championship. Speaking on Star Sports, Sunil Gavaskar backs India to come up well against the Pat Cummins-led side, as they have deep batting order in the team and want them to bat first and put up big scores in England.
“I’m backing India to out-bat Australia because if you look at the Indian batting lineup, at number 8 we have Ashwin who has five Test hundreds and the Oval is generally a very good pitch to bat on. You win the toss, put up a big score on the first two days, then you don’t have to bat in the second innings,” Sunil Gavaskar said.
On the other hand, Former Australian white-ball skipper Aaron Finch backed his country to out-bowl the Indian team in their first appearance of the WTC final in 2023.
“The Oval wicket can spin in June and that’s why I’m backing Australia to win this,” he said.
It will be interesting to see the playing XI with which Team India will go for the WTC Final 2023 at Oval against the Aussies (IND vs AUS), surely there will be some changes from the last test match played at Ahmedabad, as both the surface are different.
On the other hand, Pat Cummins will return to lead the Australia team in England as he missed the last two Tests and the ODI series against India due to his mother’s illness and subsequent passing.
It Will Help Them Adjust To The Conditions- Sunil Gavaskar On Getting Early To England
Sunil Gavaskar wants the Indian players to get to England as soon as the IPL gets over for them to adopt the condition and play a few practice games against the club sides if possible and it would help them to do well in the Oval condition.
“I know the IPL finishes on May 28, and the Test starts on June 7. I’d like to see those players from the teams who haven’t qualified to go to England a bit earlier, maybe even play against club sides. It will help them adjust to the conditions,” Sunil Gavaskar added.
India will take on Australia in the 2023 WTC Final at Kensington Oval on June 7, 2023, with a reserve day on June 12, and will look to end the ICC title drought in England.