NEWS
Follow UsFormer India pacer Ajit Agarkar has picked the trio of Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah and Ishant Sharma as India's first-choice pacers for the World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand in Southampton. India are likely to field three pacers along with the spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja unless the conditions drastically change in favour of the pacers.
There have been talks of Mohammed Siraj slotted in the XI as one of the three pacers, but a final call will be taken once Team India begin training after their hard quarantine period. "The seamers will play a part and India has got as formidable an attack as any in the world. I think that's been their strength over the last few years. Whether it is a Bumrah, Shami - the No.1 bowler for me for a Test line-up for India and Ishant Sharma, he has gotten better over his career as he has played," he said, during a conversation on Star Sports.
"So, those three certainly will start and if it is a green seaming wicket, you might see a fourth one for all you know. We still don't know what the conditions are likely to be but we presume in England, with the Dukes' ball, in particular, there will always be helpful for the seam bowlers. You can't imagine a pitch being very dry in mid-June," he added.
Agarkar reckons both teams will be excited to be a part of the match given that it's a chance to become the first-ever team to win the WTC. "It is a big deal. Everyone remembers the first person to get to any sort of landmark and that's what makes it special. So, to be involved and particularly in the middle when the rules changed, the percentages came into play when India was way ahead at one point, they still had to get the job done. Both teams will be up for it and both teams will be very excited to be a part of it," Agarkar, who has picked up 349 international wickets said.