India announced their lineup on Thursday evening, with a bowling combination of three seamers and two spin-bowling all-rounders in Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. New Zealand, on the other hand, have deployed a cautious, wait-and-watch approach and will only reveal their team at the toss.
Sunil Gavaskar opined that either of the Indian spinners might have to make way for a batsman while Rishabh Pant could be shunted by one spot in the batting order.
The original 15-member squad includes Hanuma Vihari, Wriddhiman Saha, Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Siraj as reserves. Vihari would be the most likely option for an extra batsman, while Siraj could be brought in if the team decides to compromise its batting for an extra seamer.
“There will definitely be some grass on the pitch” - Sunil Gavaskar
The first look on the pitch showed an even layer of grass. Sunil Gavaskar has revealed that contrary to expectations, it hasn’t been shaved off yet due to the downpour and it’s likely that the final pitch will have some grass on it. The 71-year-old added that this could mean the team winning the toss might field first without any hesitation.
The WTC final didn’t get off to the best of starts as the first session was washed out. The ground is drenched and the forecast for the rest of the day is also bleak. The reserve day, June 23, might come in handy if conditions improve in the coming days.
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