No Ashwin Or Pujara As Ravi Shastri Picks His Combined Playing XI For IND vs AUS WTC Final

Ravi Shastri admitted that he found the task of selecting a combined playing XI tough because of the world class talent present in both the teams.

Ravi Shastri admitted that he found the task of selecting a combined playing XI tough because of the world class talent present in both the teams.

IND vs AUS WTC Final: Rohit Sharma-led Indian cricket team will square off against Australia in World Test Championship (WTC) 2023 final at the Oval in England's London. Ahead of IND vs AUS WTC Final, team India's former head coach Ravi Shastri, in a recent episode of ICC review, picked a combined Playing-XI. Shastri admitted that he found the task of selecting a combined playing XI tough because of the world class talent present in both the teams. Surprisingly, only four Indian players could make the cut.

Shastri picked Rohit Sharma over Steve Smith as captain of combined-XI.

"I would give the captaincy to Rohit because he's much more experienced than Pat," Shastri said as quoted by ICC.

"He's been around and he's captained sides for a long time. If Steve Smith was captain of Australia, then maybe it's a different story, but since it's Pat Cummins and Rohit Sharma, Rohit wins it."

"Plus, you know, as a captain, you're a certainty in the XI so he opens the batting."

Shastri picked Australia's Usman Khwaja as opener alongside Rohit.

"It's a tight one between Usman Khawaja and Shubman Gill," Shastri admitted.

"Shubman is the rising young star and he's a terrific player, but Usman Khawaja, just by current form and the number of runs he's got over the last couple of years, I think he gets in there."

Shastri said it was an easy decision to pick No.3, No.4 and No.5.

"Number three is a no-brainer as Marnus (Labuschagne) has been outstanding in Test match cricket. He averages close to 60, so he gets in there straight away," Shastri said.

"Kohli at four for just what he's done over the years and Smith at five for what he's done over the years and the kind of quality they bring to the table."

Shastri picked spin all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja to bat at No.6.

"At No.6, I get in Jadeja, because I believe he is one of the best all-rounders in the world," Shastri added.

Australia keeper Alex Carey won the spot as wicket-keeper and the No.7 spot.

Along with this Shastri admitted that he found it hard to leave out India veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and opt for Nathan Lyon as the front-line spinner in his XI.

"The reason why I picked Nathan Lyon ahead of Ashwin is because of Nathan's overseas record," Shastri said.

"Not just in Australia, but outside Australia and (Lyon is) probably stronger to bowl those overs in England if needed.

"So he comes in with Jadeja as the second spinner, with Jadeja more the all-rounder and Lyon the spinner."

 Shastri said the decisions on the pace attack were relatively easy to make.

"(Pat) Cummins, of course, for me, he's a top-class operator and Mohammed Shami, he's like vintage and he's just getting better and better as we're seeing in this IPL. And stronger. So he comes in there," Shastri noted.

"It's a hard choice (to settle on final XI) because Ashwin's world-class, you've got Hazelwood world-class there and you've got (Cheteshwar) Pujara there who could be threatening. So it's not easy," Shastri concluded.

Ravi Shastri combined India-Australia Test XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Ravindra Jadeja, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Mohammad Shami