WTC Final: Shiv Sundar Das & Co. Name Ishan Kishan As Rahul’s Replacement

Mumbai: Wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan has been named as the replacement for injured KL Rahul for next month’s World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia.

Lucknow Super Giants captain Rahul has been ruled out of the remainder of IPL as well as the June 7-11 WTC final at the Oval after he picked up a thigh injury while fielding during a match against Royal Challengers Bangalore earlier this month. Rahul will undergo surgery at the earliest.

Jharkhand’s Kishan, has been having a mixed season for Mumbai Indians in the ongoing IPL.

Many felt the experienced Wriddhiman Saha, who is in terrific form both with the big gloves and bat for Gujarat Titans, will get the nod. Saha last played a Test for in December 2021.

But Shiv Sundar Das and his colleagues in the selection panel opted for the youthful Kishan.

KS Bharat, who replaced Saha in the Indian Test team over a year ago, is the first-choice wicketkeeper for the WTC final.

Shah said Rahul will undergo surgery “at the earliest”, which will be followed by a “rehab at the National Cricket Academy for the same”.

TEAM INDIA SQUAD FOR WTC FINAL

Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, KS Bharat (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Ishan Kishan (wk).

On standby: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Mukesh Kumar, Suryakumar Yadav.