India have been head and shoulders ahead of every other team in the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. They topped the standings to book a berth in the finals. India even retained the Test mace for topping the Test rankings. It was the fifth consecutive year where India bagged the mace. But one thing that the team and the fans are wary of is the fact that India don’t boast of a good record in the knockouts. If India don’t win the WTC finals they will be under immense pressure to take some hard calls. What happens If India Lose The WTC. Here are the 5 major consequences.
StumpsandBails looks at 5 such tough calls India will have to take if they lose the WTC Final:
What happens If India Lose The WTC Final. Here are the 5 Major Consequences
#5 The fate of Ravi Shastri as India’s head coach:
What happens If India Lose The WTC Final. 5 Major Consequences. There is no denying the fact that Ravi Shastri has played an instrumental role in India’s ascension to the top in Tests. His never-say-die attitude has rubbed onto the Indian team who have been almost unbeatable in whites. But under Shastri, India have never won a major silverware. His tenure is expected to last till the World T20 World Cup. If the result doesn’t go India’s way, then his contract may not be extended.
#4 A burning need for a fast-bowling allrounder
India haven’t shown faith in Hardik Pandya as a Test performer. His body has not responded well to the regimes of Test cricket. India have arrived in England with 4 spin-bowling all-rounders but none to show in the pace department. It’s high time India started looking for a fast-bowling allrounder who can be an asset overseas.
#3 Time is running out for Ajinkya Rahane
Ajinkya Rahane is India’s top run-scorer in the WTC cycle. But that doesn’t hide the fact that India will want more from Rahane. He has had a very lean patch especially since the start of the New Zealand tour. Rahane scored a magnificent century against Australia in Melbourne. But there hasn’t been much apart from this. Time is running out for Rahane in the whites. He needs to deliver more consistently.
#2 A left-arm pacer to complete the attack
India’s fast-bowling stocks have risen rapidly in the last 5 years. There certainly has been a problem of plenty when it comes to right-handed seamers. But what India clearly lack is a quality left-arm seamer who can swing the ball both ways at a good pace. There are prospects like Jaydev Unadkat, T. Natarajan, and Arzan Nagwaswalla but none have yet taken the flight to the next level. India will need them to step up come the next WTC cycle.
#1 Virat Kohli’s captaincy
India have played an aggressive brand of winning cricket over the last few years. They have occupied the number 1 spot in Tests for quite some time. But the lingering factor about his captaincy is him leading India to a championship win. If India fail to lift either of the silverware this year (WTC or T20 World Cup) then a decision on Kohli’s captaincy will surely be up for discussion.
Also Read: ‘The Match Will Swing In India’s Favor In The WTC Final’: Says Aakash Chopra
