WTC final: Sanjay Manjrekar picks India's playing XI, Ravindra Jadeja misses out

Sanjay Manjrekar has picked India's playing XI for the upcoming World Test Championship final against New Zealand. Ishant Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja were two of the most notable absentees from the former Indian batsman's playing XI.

Sanjay Manjerkar picked his team keeping in mind the typical English conditions where there will be a mixture of cloud cover and sunny days. Speaking to ESPNCricinfo, the 55-year-old said:

"I'm assuming you have typical English conditions. I'm assuming there will be a mixture of sun and cloudy cover throughout the five days of the Test match if it goes the distance. So I'm picking the team accordingly."

Manjerkar picked the obvious choices in the top five, with Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma opening the innings. Cheteshwar Pujara will be coming in at no.3 followed by skipper Virat Kohli and his deputy Ajinkya Rahane.

Three sleeps away from the BIG GAME. 👍👍How excited are you? 🙌 🙌#WTC21 #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/nqaI6cf33H

— BCCI (@BCCI) June 15, 2021

The former India international went in with Hanuma Vihari at no.6, explaining that India will need someone with a compact technique in the middle-order. Rishabh Pant will bat at no.7 in Manjrekar's XI. He added:

"Going to have Hanuma Vihari to reward him for his brilliant innings before he got injured. India will need somebody with more compact defensive technique. Because the guys at the top of the order barring Pujara aren't those kind. So I will have Hanuma Vihari at number 6. Pant at 7, considering India have hardly had any practice game. I just want to make sure the batting runs deep."

Sanjay Manjrekar picks India's bowlers for WTC final

These quicks are dominating everyday 👍🇮🇳 @mdsirajofficial @ImIshant pic.twitter.com/anUrYhgaRu

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) June 14, 2021

Sanjay Manjrekar picked Ravichandran Ashwin as India's lone spinner in his playing XI with Ravindra Jadeja missing out. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami are the two seamers in the team, with Manjrekar choosing Mohammed Siraj to partner them. Explaining his reasoning behind picking Siraj over Ishant Sharma, the former Indian batsman said:

"Want Siraj, the swing bowler to be brought into the equation and the last time Siraj bowled overseason in Australia, got a five wicket haul. Hard to leave a bowler like him out. You will be tempted to think of Siraj because when you look at Shami Bumrah and Ishant, they are more seam bowlers, hit the deck kind of bowler. Siraj might offer something different. I would go with Siraj. But India might play Ishant for obvious reasons."

Sanjay Manjrekar's playing XI for WTC final:

Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.

Excitement is building up! 👌The wait is almost over for #WTC21 Final! 👏#TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/ZIqk9ogFb0

— BCCI (@BCCI) June 15, 2021