SWOT Analysis of Team India for WTC Final

The thrilling second edition of the World Test Championship is nearing its conclusion, with India once again securing a spot in the finals to face their longstanding rivals, Australia. Both teams have showcased exceptional Test cricket skills throughout the championship, competing against some of the strongest teams in the world.

In a recent highly anticipated clash, India and Australia engaged in a gripping four-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. The series witnessed intense battles and impressive performances from both sides. Ultimately, the hosts, India, emerged as the winners, securing a 2-1 victory in the series. The closely fought contest between these two cricketing powerhouses adds to the excitement and anticipation surrounding their upcoming clash in the World Test Championship finals.

BCCI and the selection committee have announced the Indian squad for the final game that is scheduled to take place at the Oval. Some surprise entries have been made in the squad. The biggest surprise was the return of Ajinkye Rahane to the squad due to the absence of injured Shreyas Iyer. Rahane will make his comeback after an absence of a year from the team.

Suryakumar Yadav has not been included in the team because of his below-average performance in the Border-Gavaskar trophy. In the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, team India will be dependent on Mohammad Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav, and Jaydev Unadkat. However, the selection committee has shown more trust in the spin trio Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel.

The Team Strengths

When it comes to the international pitches, India’s batting is their strength. In recent games, team India has found its batters in great form. Shubman Gill, Chiteshwar Pujara, and Virat Kohli make a good combination to start the game. They all are in good form and can give good momentum to the team at the start. With Ajinkye Rahaney back in form and back in the team, he will also be a good option in the middle order. Ravindra Jadeja and KS Bharat can be useful in the lower order to give a push to the overall score. If the combination of these players hits the right spot, Australian bowling will be in huge trouble.

Few Weaknesses in the Team

With the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, the pace attack of the team is struggling. The pressure of picking up wickets comes on Mohammed Shami and he has done a great job in recent times. However, Mohammad Siraj, Jaydev Unadkat, and Shardul Thakur are less experienced and they might not be able to handle the pressure of the final game. Among the trio, Shardul Thakur has shown inconsistency in his performance and the team can’t be dependent on him at all.

The best opportunity for bowlers

The biggest opportunity for Team India is the spin trio Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel. India is expected to play with two spinners and the good news is that all three Indian spinners are in good form. Ravichandran Ashwin carries a good experience on international pitches and he can be partnered with Ravindra Jadeja to keep a good control over the game. Another opportunity for Team India is the return of Ajinkye Rahane. Rahane has displayed good form in IPL and domestic cricket and can score a big number against Australia.

There is some concern regarding the opening

The disappointing form of skipper Rohit Sharma is the biggest concern for the team management. He is expected to open the game with Shubman Gill and if Rohit Sharma fails to score, the whole pressure will be on Shubman Gill to give the team a good start. The Hitman is struggling to play a solid inning in all the formats of the game. Even in IPL Rohit Sharma has displayed a below-average performance. Once IPL comes to an end, Rohit Sharma should start to work on his declining form and should make a comeback for the WTC Finals.