India and Australia are getting ready to face off against each other in the World Test Championships Final at the Oval in London, starting on Wednesday. There are injury concerns for both sides ahead of the titles clash with Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood getting ruled out while Indian wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan was also injured in the nets.


COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

Team India cricketers hit the net for the first time at the Oval ahead of the WTC Final. Mumbai Indians opener Kishan was hit on the hand by a rising delivery from India’s net bowler Aniket Chowdhury. Kishan was seen sporting a bandage on the hand where he got hit for the rest of the net session.



With regular wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant out injured, it is a toss-up between Ishan Kishan and KS Bharat for the wicketkeeper’s slot in the final against Australia. Rajasthan Royals and Team India leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal believes India will miss Pant but both Bharat and Kishan have enough experience behind them.


“Rishabh is an attacking batter and of course, everyone is missing him. But you can’t really do much about it and back the players who have travelled there. We have to back KS Bharat and Ishan Kishan. They have played a lot of cricket and are experienced enough. Ishan is somewhat similar to Pant. It’s also an opportunity for them to prove themselves in the longer format,” Chahal said in an exclusive interview with News18 CricketNext.


Bharat has played for India in 4 Tests while Kishan is yet to make his national team debut in the longest format.


A few days back, former Australian all-rounder and Sunrisers Hyderabad coach Tom Moody had picked Bharat ahead of Kishan in his India playing XI for the WTC final against Australia.


“Ishan is an opener. I am not saying he is not capable of playing Tests. He is one for the future but he opens in limited overs cricket. Things will be different at number six. Yes he goes hard from ball one, which can be counter-productive in England, but Bharat can also bat well and play shots also,” he said.