Ravi Shastri picks his combined India Australia Test XI

Ravi Shastri has picked 4 Indians and 7 Australians in his combined playing eleven ahead of the ICC WTC final.

The buildup has begun for the World Test Championship final at The Oval. India will take on Australia in the finals scheduled to start from 7th June. India have recently dominated Australia in the longer format. They defeated the Aussies in and out of their comfort zone. Ravi Shastri had a tremendous tenure in tests as a coach of the Indian cricket team. India dominated Australia twice down under when he was the coach of the team. Ravi Shastri in an interview with ICC was asked to pick a combined eleven from India and Australia. Shastri has picked 4 Indian stars and 7 Australians in his combined Indo-Australian playing eleven. 

Shastri picked Rohit as captain

Ravi Shastri has picked Rohit Sharma as the leader of the combined playing XI. Being an ardent Rohit Sharma supporter, Shastri has given him the role of captain before Pat Cummins. WTC final will be a litmus test of Rohit Sharma’s captaincy in the longer format. Shastri said, “I will give the captaincy to Rohit as he is experienced”. Along with Rohit, Usman Khawaja earned a place as an opener. Khawaja had a great Border-Gavaskar series in India. Shastri picked Steve Smith’s disciple Marnus Lauschagne as Number 3. Virat Kohli got his usual place at number 4. Steve Smith is there at number 5 and Ravindra Jadeja is the only all-rounder. Alex Carey got his place as a wicketkeeper. 

Two Australians Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and one Indian Mohammed Shami from India are the 3 pace bowlers Shastri picked in his combined Indo-Australia playing eleven. But in an interesting choice, Shastri chose Nathan Lyon as a lone off-spinner. Lyon got the place as a spinner over Ravi Ashwin. Explaining his selection he said, “The reason I picked Nathan Lyon was because of his overseas record. Not just in Australia, but outside Australia and he is stronger to bowl those overs if needed”. Ravi Shastri picked only one bowler from India in his combined playing eleven. 

Ravi Shastri’s combined Indo-Australian playing XI

Rohit Sharma (C), Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Ravindra Jadeja, Alex Carey, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Mohammed Shami