‘It need not be always a turning track’ – Sachin Tendulkar bats for both of India’s star spinners to play in WTC 2023 final against Australia

As India and Australia are set to face each other in the finals of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023, former India batter Sachin Tendulkar talked about the importance of Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin in the game for the Asian side. He speaks about how both can change the game for India even in adverse conditions.

Considering the historic nature of The Oval Cricket Ground, several cricket pundits have suggested that the Indian team will need to choose one spinner between Jadeja and Ashwin. However, India stalwart Sachin Tendulkar thinks differently he feels that India must utilize both spinners. He said, “The Indian team will be happy that they are playing at the Oval. The nature of the Oval pitch is such that it assists the spinners as the match goes on. So, spinners will come into play a little bit.”

“It need not be always a turning track as sometimes the spinners rely a lot on the bounce, sometimes that little bit of zip that they get off the pitch, also on the overhead conditions and it depends a lot on the shiny side of the ball. If they are able to get that drift, they can make the ball talk in the air without the pitch coming into play. So, The Oval is going to be a good venue for India,” he further added.

How will The Oval pitch behave?

Traditionally, The Oval Cricket Ground has been a paradise for pacers and batters in the initial days and in the end, due to dryness, it has supported spinners a bit. However, the pitch for the Test Championship finals has been fully covered by Grass, at least till the eve, and it is looking like a seaming paradise. However, ace India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin joined pitch curator Lee Fortis and asked about the nature of the pitch.

Fortis confirmed that it will be a traditional oval wicket and it will offer a bit of extra bounce too. Notably, India hasn’t won a single multinational tournament in the last ten years. In this period, the Indian team has lost three finals and four Semifinals including WTC21, the 2019 world cup, the 2017 Champions Trophy, and the 2022 20-20 World Cup. Indian skipper Rohit Sharma will be keen to get that prestigious mace home and give India a moment to celebrate.