England legend snubs Jadeja from WTC Final combined XI, includes only 4 Indians: 'I'd like to have him but...'
The former England captain named his WTC Final combined XI ahead of the game between India and Australia.
The Indian team returns to action on June 7 when the side takes on Australia in the final of the World Test Championship. The title clash takes place at The Oval in England, and former English captain Nasser Hussain made his combined XI including the players from both sides ahead of the clash. The Indian team, led by Rohit Sharma, has reached England in different groups owing to the Indian Premier League schedule.
Hussain could only find room for one spinner in a combined Test XI, despite the fact that spin was king when India and Australia clashed earlier this year. As India successfully defended the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at home, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja combined for 47 wickets. Australia's Nathan Lyon and Todd Murphy, both spinners, also posed a threat with 36 each.
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"If the World Test Championship Final was in the subcontinent or India, I might go Jadeja at six. But I'm not, because it's in England," Hussain told The ICC Review.
"I'm going to go for a bowling all-rounder, seam-bowler in Cameron Green. That's who I want as my all-rounder. My spin bowler would be Ravi Ashwin at eight. And he bats, obviously, very good at No.8," Hussain added.
In the batting lineup, Hussain picked the duo of Rohit Sharma and Usman Khawaja with former being named the captain. He also explained why Shubman Gill didn't make it to his combined XI.
"Rohit Sharma, very easy, top of the order and captain for me. I love the way Rohit captains," Hussain said. I'd like to have Shubman (Gill) in but I think it's just a little bit early for him to break into my combined XI, so I'm going to go with Usman Khawaja to open the batting. Then into the very easy bit, three of the all-time world greats in (Marnus) Labuschagne, (Steve) Smith and (Virat) Kohli come in at three, four, five," Hussain said.
Nasser Hussain's combined India-Australia Test XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Virat Kohli, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Mohammad Shami.