The Board of Control for Cricket in India announced the 15-player squad for the ICC World Test Championship final against New Zealand starting June 18 in Southampton.
The players to miss out from the original 20-member squad that has toured England are: Axar Patel, KL Rahul, Shardul Thakur, Mayank Agarwal, Washington Sundar.
Virat Kohli will lead the side while Ajinkya Rahane will be vice captain.
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India’s squad for WTC final: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (Captain), Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), R. Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Wriddhiman Saha
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The squad has six batsmen, two wicketkeeper-batsman, two spin bowling all-rounders and five pacers.
The selection all but confirms that Shubman Gill with partner Rohit Sharma at the top, with Mayank missing out. Axar Patel, who stepped in for Ravindra Jadeja during the home series against England, has no place despite a successful series. Axar picked up 27 wickets in three Tests in that series, but such is India’s strength that they can afford to leave him out.
Washington Sundar, who too has impressed in his brief Test career, misses out with India having an ace spinner in R Ashwin.
Shardul Thakur’s absence leaves India with five pacers to choose from: Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj and Umesh Yadav. It is the bowling combination that India will ponder hardest about: whether to play four pacers or three pacers and two spinners.
India have retained Wriddhiman Saha in the squad, along with Rishabh Pant who will be the first-choice wicketkeeper. Pant has been in terrific touch since the Australia tour and made a century in the intra-squad warm-up simulation match in Southampton.
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