WTC Final: Sunil Gavaskar thinks Team India might change the playing XI before the toss

Sunil Gavaskar trusts Team India may change their playing XI not long before the toss in the World Test Championship finale. Sunil Gavaskar, who is at present at Southampton for discourse obligations, said the severe climate there is helpful for pacers, which could provoke India to incorporate an expert batsman almost too late.

India declared their playing XI on Thursday evening, with a bowling mix of three seamers and two twist bowling all-rounders in Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. New Zealand, then again, has conveyed a careful, pause-and-watch approach and will just uncover their group at the throw.

Sunil Gavaskar thought that both of the Indian spinners may need to clear a path for a batsman while Rishabh Pant could be shunted by one spot in the batting order. In a conversation with AajTak, Sunil Gavaskar said:

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"Yes, that's the thing. See, they might have announced the team yesterday, nothing is finalized until the captains share the sheets with each other during the toss. So, you can change the team till the very last moment. As a captain, when I used to be confused between playing a spinner or an extra batsman, I used to see the opposition's eleven and scratch and change the team on my paper just before the toss."

"So, the eleven can be changed anytime before the toss. So I feel like maybe they'll think of playing another batsman because of the weather. Because these conditions are suitable for New Zealand fast bowlers so Rishabh Pant is at six, he might shift to seven and an extra batsman might play. Seeing this weather, one spinner might be dropped" - he added.

The first 15-part crew incorporates Hanuma Vihari, Wriddhiman Saha, Umesh Yadav, and Mohammed Siraj as stores. Hanuma Vihari would be the most probable alternative for an additional batsman, while Mohammed Siraj could be acquired if the team chooses to bargain it's anything but an extra seamer.

The main look on the pitch showed an even layer of grass. Sunil Gavaskar has uncovered that as opposed to assumptions, it hasn't been shaved off yet because of the deluge, and all things considered, the last pitch will have some grass on it. He added that this could mean the group winning the throw may handle first without a second thought.

"Yes, that will be the thinking of both the captains. It has been raining since yesterday so the groundsman hasn't got the chance to trim the grass and roll the pitch. There will definitely be some grass then. That's why I feel that as both India and New Zealand have brilliant new-ball attacks, they'll want to safeguard their own batters and field first if they win the toss. If they can pick up 3-4 wickets in the first hour, the match will be in their control" - he said.

The WTC final didn't get off to the best of starts as the first session was wiped out. The ground is doused and the conjecture for the remainder of the day is additionally hopeless. The reserve day, June 23, may prove to be useful if conditions improve in the coming days.