The World Test Championships Final between India and Australia will commence on Wednesday at the Oval in London. Prior to the championship match, there are injury concerns for both teams, with Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood ruled out and Indian wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan injured in practice.
Prior to the WTC Final, Team India cricketers struck the net for the first time at the Oval. Kishan, the opener for the Mumbai Indians, was struck on the palm by an ascending delivery from India’s net bowler Aniket Chowdhury
With habitual wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant out injured, Ishan Kishan and KS Bharat are neck-and-neck for the wicketkeeper position in the final against Australia. Yuzvendra Chahal, leg-spinner for the Rajasthan Royals and India, believes India will mourn Pant, but Bharat and Kishan have sufficient expertise.
Kishan finished the net session with a bandage on his hand.
“Rishabh is an offensive batsman, so naturally everyone misses him. However, you cannot do much about it and must support the athletes who have traveled there. We must support KS Bharat and Ishan Kishan.
They have played enough cricket to be sufficiently experienced. Ishan is comparable to Pant in some ways. It’s also a chance for them to prove themselves in the lengthier format,” Chahal said in an interview with News18 CricketNext.
Bharat has appeared in four Tests for India, while Kishan has yet to make his debut in the longest format.
A few days ago, former Australian all-rounder and Sunrisers Hyderabad head coach Tom Moody chose Bharat over Kishan for India’s WTC final against Australia.
“Ishan is an initiator. I am not claiming that he is incapable of playing Test cricket. He is a future star, but he bats first in limited overs cricket.
Things will be different at the sixth level. Yes, he attacks hard from the first delivery, which can be detrimental in England, but Bharat can also bat well and play shots,” he said.