With the World Test Championships final only a few days away, Indian fans are eager to see who will represent the team against New Zealand in the crucial match. While the team appears to be well-balanced on paper, with several players having had outstanding performances in recent matches, there may be some surprises when the team is announced. Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh believes India will do the same, and that Ishant Sharma will be left out of the playing XI.
Harbhajan has stated that he would prefer to play Mohammed Siraj in the WTC final instead of the veteran Ishant. Siraj’s form, pace, and confidence, according to Bhajji, make him a better choice for the match.
When asked about his preferred team for the final, Harbhajan explained why he believes Siraj can beat Ishant to a spot in the final XI.
“If I was the captain, I would go with three pure fast bowlers. In that case, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami pick themselves. In this final, I would like to go with Mohammed Siraj ahead of Ishant Sharma,”
“Ishant is a brilliant bowler but for this game, my choice is Siraj, who has shown remarkable improvement in the last two years.”
Harbhajan believes that a player’s current form should always be considered, and Siraj, whose five-wicket haul in Brisbane was crucial to India’s series victory, should be considered.
“You must consider the current situation. Siraj is a better choice for this final match because of his form, pace, and confidence. He appears to be a bowler who is hungry for his chances, based on his recent form. Ishant has been injured recently, but he has undoubtedly been a great servant of Indian cricket “said the off-spinner.
“If you leave some grass on the surface, Siraj with his pace will be lethal. Trust me, New Zealand batters won’t find him easy as he not only hits the deck but also gets to move the ball off the pitch at brisk pace. He can create awkward angles for batsmen,” India’s third-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket observed.
Siraj’s performance in this year’s IPL impressed Harbhajan, who saw him trouble Andre Russell during a match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore.
“I saw him during 2019 when Russell blasted him to all corners of the ground. This year I saw him bowl some really accurate yorkers and consistently hitting the right spot ball after ball. The pace has also increased,” Harbhajan said.
“Russell was beaten for pace during a couple of deliveries. It’s the confidence that he gained by playing for India. He would look into batsmen’s eyes and batters are on back-foot.”
