Indian Team Change: If we want to become WTC champion in 2025, now Team India will have to make these drastic changes

It’s time for a change in the Indian team but will these decisions happen?Image Credit source: BCCI

New Delhi: The Indian team also lost the final of the World Test Championship. Exactly the same as it lost to England in the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup last year. Team India failed to win the title both times. After last year’s defeat, the officials of the Board of Control for Cricket in India had started making changes in the T20 format. Will some similar action now happen in the Test format? Will average performers be replaced? Will new and young players get a chance?

If India has to reach the final of the next World Test Championship and most importantly, win it, then there is only one answer to all these questions – yes. From June 16, the next Test Championship cycle will begin with the Ashes series. Under this, the Indian team has to play its first series against the West Indies in July and it should really start from here.

Where are changes necessary?

After the T20 World Cup, the Indian selectors did not select players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Mohammed Shami in any series. It was not officially said anywhere that he will not be selected further but as far as Test is concerned, here everything needs to be said and done officially and clearly.

Rohit Sharma

Indian captain Hal has been the best batsman of the team in Tests in the last 3-4 years. He has scored runs in almost every situation, but he can’t repeat it after playing a big innings. Can’t convert good starts consistently. This is also not a big problem. The real problem is his fitness.

In the 2021-23 cycle, Rohit did not play 8 out of 18 Test matches due to fitness. He is 36 years old and in such a situation his fitness will be under constant question. Rohit cannot be dropped immediately but young openers like Yashasvi Jaiswal or Abhimanyu Easwaran will have to be given a chance gradually.

Cheteshwar Pujara

As always, Cheteshwar Pujara is once again on target. His performance has always been full of ups and downs. Pujara averaged 32 in this Test Championship. The biggest problem was the way he was dismissed in both the innings in the final. Only one century has come out of his bat in 4 years. In such a situation, it is difficult to make space for them. Young batsmen like Rituraj Gaikwad or Sarfaraz Khan should be given a chance to fill his place.

Virat Kohli

Kohli is the biggest name in the Indian batting line-up. His record is excellent but his bat has also been silent in the last 3-4 years. The biggest problem is his not correcting his mistakes and his wicket in the second innings of the final was an example. Kohli also scored 932 runs in this championship at an average of 32. His average in the last 4 years is also around this.

It can be said that Kohli’s direct replacement will not be easy and he too cannot be removed directly like Rohit, but now is the time that batsmen like Shreyas Iyer at number four or KL Rahul or Surkumar Yadav should also be included in the middle. Chances need to be given.

Umesh Yadav

The career of the legendary Indian pacer has always been full of ups and downs. He hasn’t always got chances consistently. When he met, he had to sit back again despite his good performance many times. At the same time, he could not even take advantage of the opportunity many times, like he was completely ineffective in the first innings of this final. Umesh has also turned 36 and new fast bowlers are also needed to fill his place. In such a situation, players like Arshdeep Singh or Mukesh Kumar need to be given a chance.

Ravichandran Ashwin

Ashwin, the world’s number one Test bowler and India’s biggest spinner in the current generation, may not have got a chance in the final but it is also true that there is not much time left in his career either. Ashwin will probably continue to play for the next 2-3 years but there is a need to find his replacement from now on. No such off-spinner has been able to come in the Indian team who can replace Ashwin. In such a situation, this is the biggest challenge before the selectors.