ICC World Test Championship Final: Five young India match-winners who may not get spot in playing XI

With several senior players like Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Shami expected to gain fitness and return to the side, there are chances that some of the young guns might not feature in the WTC final against New Zealand if India carry a full-strength squad.

Team India’s successive series triumphs against Australia and England saw a massive contribution from a group of youngsters. Players with less experience stepped up in tricky situations and delivered with utmost confidence to guide India to the final of the ICC World Test Championship.

Axar Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar. (Agencies)

With several senior players like Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Shami expected to gain fitness and return to the side, there are chances that some of the young guns might not feature in the WTC final against New Zealand if India carry a full-strength squad.

Let’s have a look who five such players who may not play the World Test Championship final in Southampton:

T Natarajan: Natarajan accompanied the Indian squad in the series Down Under as a net bowler. However, he was handed the debut cap in the Brisbane Test as India’s frontline pacers were out with injuries. He didn’t disappoint with his bowling and picked up the crucial wickets of Marnus Labuschagne and Matthew Wade. The chances of his selection are very thin as there is a long list of pacers who are ahead of him.

Axar Patel: Axar Patel achieved immediate success after making his debut for India in the longest format. In the recently-concluded Test series against England, he picked up 27 wickets including 4 five-wicket hauls. Despite a top-notch performance, he may miss the spot in the final XI as Ravindra Jadeja, who suffered a thumb fracture in Australia and missed the entire England series, could return to the fold.

Washington Sundar: The Tamil Nadu all-rounder replaced Ravichandran Ashwin in the fourth and final Test of the series against Australia in Brisbane. Sundar has majorly contributed with the bat, scoring a 62 on debut and then notching up an unbeaten 85 and 96 in the first and the fourth Test respectively, against England at home. His chances of making it in the final XI are less as he stands much behind Ashwin, Jadeja, and Patel in the queue.

Mohammed Siraj: After making a dream debut in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, Siraj got an opportunity to lead India’s pace attack in Brisbane when all the frontline pacers were unavailable. So far in his red-ball career, the Hyderabad cricketer has scalped 16 wickets in five games. If all five senior pacers - Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar - are available for the selection, Siraj may not get the chance in the grand finale.

Shardul Thakur: Thakur proved his mettle with the bat and ball after being drafted in the final Test against Australia in Brisbane. He picked up 3 wickets in the first innings and then came up with a fighting 67 to help India script history at the Gabba. However, his chances are also slim, just like T Natarajan.