Notably, this is India’s second consecutive WTC Final, having faced New Zealand in the inaugural edition’s summit clash where they ended up losing the match. Ahead of the upcoming heavyweight contest, former England captain Nasser Hussain has picked his combined India-Australia XI featuring those stars who are in their respective squads for the mega event. Recently, Ravi Shastri and Ricky Ponting had also picked their combined XI.
Hussain has picked only four Indian players in his combined XI, leaving out some prominent names. The first five are the popular choices in the form of Rohit Sharma, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith and Virat Kohli. The cricketer-turned-commentator named Rohit as the skipper and expressed he could’ve gone with Shubman Gill to open with Rohit but went with Khawaja considering Gill’s inexperience.
“Rohit Sharma, very easy, top of the order and captain for me. I love the way Rohit captains. 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,” said Hussain while speaking at The ICC Review.
“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,” he added.
When it comes to the all-rounder’s spot, Hussain went with Cameron Green in place of Ravindra Jadeja, reasoning that Green being the seam all-rounder would suit more in English conditions as compare to Jaddu.
“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. I’m going to go for a bowling all-rounder, seam-bowler in Cameron Green. That’s who I want as my all-rounder,” explained the former England skipper.
Hussain went with Ravichandran Ashwin as the lone spinner and named Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc as well as Mohammad Shami to feature in the pace attack. The 55-year-old said he would’ve gone with Jasprit Bumrah instead of Shami if Bumrah was not injured.
“(Pat) Cummins at nine, easy choice. (Mitchell) Starc at 10 to give me that left-arm variation. Mohammed Shami, just so that we can have so many replays of his seam position going down. I would have obviously Jasprit in there if he wasn’t injured, but he is so I’m having Shami at 11,” asserted Hussain.
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, Mohammad Shami
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