'The toss hasn't happened yet': Steyn says India 'more than welcome' to make changes to Playing XI for WTC final vs NZ
Since the toss is yet to take place, it gives India time to re-think their strategy, and Dale Steyn reckons if Virat Kohli wants to, he definitely should make certain adjustments to his Playing XI for the WTC final against New Zealand.
Besides weather, if there is one question that has emerged as the hot topic among Indian cricket fans in the last 24 hours, it is about their Playing XI for the World Test Championship final against New Zealand at the Ageas Bowl. With Southampton witnessing plenty of rainfall, many believe that India could do my making some slight changes to the team that was announced Thursday.
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While many believe that one spinner would be enough given the increase in the moisture level in the pitch after the heavy rain, such as Sunil Gavaskar, some feel the 11 players that were shortlisted are the best, like India's fielding coach R Sridhar.
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However, South Africa pacer Dale Steyn reckons it is completely up to India if they want to change their Playing XI. Since the toss is yet to take place, it gives India time to re-think their strategy, and Steyn reckons if Virat Kohli wants to, he definitely should make certain adjustments.
"I like what they’ve done. They’ve come up and told the world this is the team that we are going to go with. The nice thing is they can only hand over the team sheet at the toss so if they want to change their team – they want to bring in an extra seamer – they are more than welcome of doing that. They might probably even do it but I do like what they have done," Steyn said on ESPNCricinfo.
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"It gives the players an opportunity to prepare and let the opposition know that this team is ready. They’ve trained… they have worked hard as to how they are going to go about in this Test match and they are putting it out there. I don’t mind it too much. But if they wanted to change the team because the toss hasn’t happened yet. They could if they wanted to."
India included three pacers in Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah in their Playing XI and two spinners in Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin. There was no place for Hanuma Vihari in the stacked batting line-up that comprises the Big 3 of Indian Test cricket in Cheteshwar Pujara, Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane in the middle order.
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