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Team India’s wait to win their first ICC trophy since 2013 Champions Trophy continued after they lost to Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) final by 209 runs. The Rohit Sharma-led side was always chasing the game after India could pick only three wickets on the opening day after opting to bowl first. They had succumbed to a loss in the previous WTC Final as well going down to New Zealand by eight wickets in a low-scoring and a rain-marred encounter.
Moreover, this also turned out to be India’s fourth loss in the final of an ICC event. They have now lost the final of 2014 T20 World Cup (vs Sri Lanka), 2017 Champions Trophy (vs Pakistan), WTC 2019-21 (vs New Zealand) and WTC 2021-23 (vs Australia). India will start their next WTC cycle with two away Tests against West Indies. But some of the new faces might get a chance and a few players who featured in the WTC Final might face axe.
Here are 3 Players who might get dropped from India’s Test team:
1. Cheteshwar Pujara
India’s long standing number three Cheteshwar Pujara might not play for India again after yet another underwhelming outing in a crunch game. He has had low returns over the last few years in the longest format and was also dropped last year after South Africa tour. However, a brilliant show in County Cricket led to selector recalling him for the one-off Test in England. But Pujara hasn’t been consistent enough and the way he got out in the WTC Final in both innings didn’t please many. So we might see Pujara losing his spot yet again from India’s Test team.
2. KS Bharat
KS Bharat got a great opportunity to script history with his performance in the WTC Final with Rishabh Pant getting injured. Bharat also played in the Border Gavaskar Trophy prior to the Indian Premier League (IPL). But his batting returns were never satisfactory even though his wicketkeeping was top notch. In the WTC Final too, the cricketer from Andhra was excellent behind the stumps but the game has changed a lot now and even wicketkeepers are expected to perform with the bat. Bharat has scored only 129 runs in 8 innings so far in Tests at an average of only 18.4 which is not enough and this might lead to selectors looking beyond him in Tests.
3. Umesh Yadav
Umesh Yadav played 57th Test of his career in the WTC Final and his performance wasn’t up to the mark at all. He released the pressure with the new ball on Day 1 and didn’t bowl as per expectations at all throughout the game. Even though he picked up two wickets in the second innings, it was too late for India. Umesh’s performance has been up and down in Tests especially away from home and this might eventually lead to him losing his place from the side for the West Indies tour.
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