The 2023 World Test Championship final is just one week away, and India and Australia are ready to go head-to-head on June 7 at London’s Oval in the top match. Nasser Hussain, a former England cricketer, has chosen his joint XI from the two teams playing in the much-anticipated game. There are four Indian players and seven Australian players in the XI.
Ravindra Jadeja, an all-rounder from India, was the most surprising player Hussain left off his joint playing XI. The Southpaw has hit three fifties and one hundred in England, with an average of 29.70, and has also taken 23 wickets. But the former captain of England chose off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin over Jadeja and Nathan Lyon to be the only spinners on the team. He did this because the final is in England and the team doesn’t need two spinners.
“If the final of the World Test Championship was in India or the subcontinent, I might pick Jadeja at number six. I’m not going, though, because it’s in England. I’m going to pick seam bowler Cameron Green as an all-around spinner. I want that person to be my all-arounder. Ravi Ashwin would be my spin bowler at number eight. And he hits very well at No. 8, which is clear,” Hussain told The ICC Review.
Nasser Hussain went on to say that Rohit Sharma would be the team’s captain and that he and Usman Khawaja would start the game. Then, at spots three, four, and five, he chose Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, and Virat Kohli, three of the best batters of the modern age.
“Rohit Sharma, no problem; he’s at the top of the order and I’d make him captain. I love how Rohit leads his team. I’d like to have Shubman Gill in, but I think it’s too soon for him to join my combined XI. Instead, I’m going to start the opening with Usman Khawaja. Then it gets easy, as three of the best players of all time, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, and Virat Kohli, come in at three, four, and five,” Hussain said.
The former England captain filled out his team with fast bowlers Mitchell Starc, Mohammed Shami, and Pat Cummins. Alex Carey was chosen to keep wickets.
Nasser Hussain’s Test XI from India and Australia
Rohit Sharma (captain), Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Virat Kohli, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wicketkeeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Mohammed Shami.
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