fantastic at bat Sunil Gavaskar believes it would be difficult for the Indian players to transition from playing T20 cricket to red-ball cricket in the World Test Championship final.
The much awaited World Tennis Championship final between India and Australia will begin on June 7 at The Oval in London. This past Monday marked the conclusion of the Indian Premier League's 2023 season, which included a large contingent of Indian athletes.
Gavaskar said it would be a significant task for the Indian players since both formats are quite different.
The fact that almost everyone will be transitioning from a T20 format to a lengthier format like Test cricket will be the greatest challenge. Therefore, I believe that will be the major issue, Gavaskar remarked on Star Sports on Tuesday.
Apart from Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara, who was playing county cricket for Sussex, Gavaskar emphasized that all other members of the team were participating in the shorter format.
Only Cheteshwar Pujara, who has been competing in the English County Championship, would have experience playing the lengthier format in these circumstances, so it will be a significant challenge for India.
Ajinkya Rahane will be among the players who must play a significant part for the Indian team in the WTC Final, however. After more than a year, the seasoned hitter found his way back to the Test squad after putting in a lot of effort in domestic cricket and a strong run in the IPL.
Rahane will bat at the vital position of number 5 against an elite Australian bowling team, and Gavaskar believes that Rahane's prior experience playing in English conditions would be essential for India.
“Having played and scored runs in England, he has a lot of experience. So, certainly, I believe he will be important down at number 5. And yeah, I think he has something to prove. I also think he still has plenty of cricket left in him, so this is a great chance for him. The ex-cricketer-turned-commentator believed Rahane will make the most of the chance presented to him to further his professional career.
“I'm hoping he will be able to grab this opportunity with all the experience that he has and make a place for him back in the Indian team,” the speaker said.
