The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced that wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan will replace KL Rahul for the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia. Rahul, who suffered a right upper thigh injury during an Indian Premier League (IPL) match, has been ruled out of the entire IPL and the WTC final.
Kishan, who plays for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL, had a successful debut series for India earlier this year in the T20 format against England. He scored a blistering 56 off just 32 balls in his debut match and went on to make an unbeaten 50 in the next match.
The 23-year-old’s selection comes as a surprise to many as he is relatively new to the international scene and has never played a Test match for India. However, Kishan’s impressive performances in the IPL and his recent success in the T20 format have made him a strong contender for the spot.
The WTC final, which will take place from June 7-11 at The Oval in London, is a highly anticipated match between two of the best Test teams in the world. Australia is known for their dominant pace attack, while India boasts one of the strongest batting lineups in the world.
India will be hoping to win their first major ICC trophy since the 2013 Champions Trophy. They have been in good form in the Test format in recent years, winning 12 of their last 17 Test matches, including a historic series win against Australia in their own backyard earlier this year.
Kishan’s inclusion in the squad adds depth to India’s batting lineup and gives them a left-handed option at the top of the order. He is also a dynamic wicketkeeper-batter and can provide the team with quick runs down the order.
However, the absence of KL Rahul will be a big blow for India as he has been one of their most consistent performers in the Test format in recent years. Rahul was the leading run-scorer for India in the recent Test series against England and had been in good form in the IPL before his injury.
It remains to be seen how India will cope without Rahul in the WTC final, but they will be hoping that their talented squad can rise to the occasion and bring home the trophy.
