WTC Final: Indian players to practice with Dukes ball during IPL 2023; few players to leave for UK early
ICC World Test Championship 2021-23 Final: With India qualifying for the grand finale alongside Australia, the former would practise with the Dukes ball during IPL 2023, while a few players could leave for the UK early.
FollowIndia captain Rohit Sharma on Monday said the Indian players, whose Indian Premier League (IPL) sides won't make it to the Twenty20 (T20) league's play-offs, may assemble in London for a two-week conditioning camp ahead of the 2021-23 ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final against Australia. The WTC Final is played in June, right after the IPL, and this year, the final is on May 29, while the WTC will begin on June 7 at The Oval in London.
With IPL returning to its original home and away model for the first time since the post-COVID-19 outbreak, there will be a lot of travelling involved. Among all the current India Test regulars, only Cheteshwar Pujara is not a part of the IPL. "It's quite critical for us. We will keep in constant touch with all the players who will play that final and monitor their workload and see what's happening with them," Sharma replied to a query from PTI at a press conference after India won the series against Australia 2-1.
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"Around May 21, there will be six teams who will possibly be out of IPL play-off contention, and so whichever players are available, we will try and find time to get them to the UK early as possible and get some time, and we will monitor as much as possible," the skipper gave a sneak peek into his plans for the big final.
The three frontline pacers, Mohammed Siraj (Royal Challengers Bangalore), Mohammed Shami (Gujarat Titans), and Umesh Yadav (Kolkata Knight Riders), are expected to be first-team regulars for their respective franchises and play at least 12 out of 14 group league games and monitoring their workload will be necessary.
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"We are sending some [red] Duke Balls to all fast bowlers and if they get some time to bowl with that, but again, it all depends on individuals," Rohit said. In England, Tests are played with Duke balls, unlike SG Tests in India and the Kookaburra in Australia. How much time a Shami, Umesh or Siraj can find out from their travelling, matches, and busy schedule is there to be seen.
But England is a familiar place for most Test squad members as they have all played multiple series there, and some have also played county cricket. "Guys who will be part of finals are different from those who have not played in the UK. There could be one or two guys here and there, and the rest of us have played in that part of the world. It shouldn't be a huge problem. I believe preparations will be key for us to come to the finals," opined Rohit.
Final at The Oval will be a different ball game
While both teams have played a lot of cricket in England, the neutral venue will make it a completely different proposition for both sides. Speaking of playing them [Australia] in the Final, it will be another ball game with a neutral venue for both teams."
"Both teams have played a lot of cricket in that part of the world, and I won't say it will be alien conditions for both teams, but yes, compared to what it is like playing India in India or Australia in Australia, it is not going to be like that, it would be slightly different from that which I am sure both teams will prepare for it," the captain said.
(With inputs from PTI)
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