WTC Final: Sunil Gavaskar Backs KL Rahul to Play the Oval Test

Former India captain and renowned commentator Sunil Gavaskar wants KL Rahul to play in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia, which is scheduled to take place later in June in London, England. Gavaskar seems to be against the idea of playing KS Bharat as the latter had a mediocre series with the bat against Australia in the home series. 

After beating Australia in the recently concluded four-match Test series, India clinched the coveted Border-Gavaskar Trophy. India’s place in the final was confirmed after New Zealand defeated Sri Lanka in the first Test in Christchurch. India will now square off against Australia in the WTC Final which will begin on June 7. The final is still a few months away but the talk about the possible playing XI has already begun. It’ll not be very easy for India, who will be playing their second successive WTC final, as the think tank of the team has a lot to think about.

Ace Speedster Jasprit Bumrah is all but out of the final due to a back injury. Another player who would’ve been a sure starter- Rishabh Pant has also been ruled out of the final after he suffered multiple injuries when he met a horrific car accident. 

WTC Final: Gavaskar Bats for Rahul’s Inclusion

Fortunately, over the years India’s fast bowling stocks have gone up and that’s why they might not miss Bumrah much as there are quality options available who can be a part of the playing XI. But India doesn’t have the luxury of options to choose from when it comes to wicket-keeper batters in the red-ball format. Bharat was tried in the Border-Gavaskar series, but he couldn’t fare well with the bat and this has sparked a debate over his position for the WTC final. Rahul, who has played in England and scored a memorable hundred in Lord’s is ahead of Bharat in the pecking order, according to Gavaskar.

“You can see KL Rahul as a wicketkeeper. If he bats at No.5 or 6 in at the Oval (in the WTC final) then our batting will be stronger. Because he batted really well in England last year. He scored a century at the Lord’s. Keep KL Rahul in mind when you pick your XI for the WTC final. Whether they will select him for the XI or not is up to the selection committee. In that case, you can pick KL Rahul as a wicketkeeper and even Ishan Kishan can be considered. Their batting is better than Bharat’s,” said Sunil Gavaskar.

India Will Lock Horns With Australia in the Final

Despite his recent struggles with the bat, India knows Rahul is a class act and given his experience and success in England, the team might be tempted to play him as the keeper batter over Bharat. India will take on Australia in the final of the WTC at the Oval in London from June 7 to 11. It is pertinent to note that this will be the first time in 20 years that India will face Australia in the Final of an ICC men’s event.