'World ka number 1 spinner bahar kyu h?' - Fans in shock as India omit Ravichandran Ashwin from playing XI for WTC final

Ravichandran Ashwin (Source: Twitter)

India is facing Australia in the final of the second edition of the World Test Championship (WTC) at The Oval in London. Indian skipper Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to field first given the conditions and weather. India made a shocking decision for the mega clash, leaving out World No. 1 Test spinner Ravichandran Ashwin from the playing XI and going with an extra seamer.

The surface at Oval has been predicted to favour the seamers, with head groundsman Lee Fortis promising a bouncy pitch. Rohit said it was a tough decision to drop a match-winner like Ashwin, but given the team's need for an extra batter, he chose Ravindra Jadeja. Medium pacer Shardul Thakur comes in as the fifth bowling option.

"We are going to bowl. Just the conditions and also the weather being overcast. I don’t think the pitch will change too much. You have to play good cricket and come out on top. Four seamers and one spinner. The spinner is Jadeja. It’s always tough (to leave Ashwin), he’s been a match-winner for us over the course of so many years. But you got to do the things that’s needed for the team and eventually, we came up with that decision," Rohit said during the toss.

Ajinkya Rahane, KS Bharat included in the starting eleven

In Jasprit Bumrah's absence, Mohammed Shami will lead the Indian pace attack comprising Mohammed Siraj, Thakur and Umesh Yadav. India have added Ajinkya Rahane to the middle order and KS Bharat will be standing behind the stumps instead of Ishan Kishan.

Meanwhile, Aussie skipper Pat Cummins also went with a lone top spinner in Nathan Lyon. Scott Boland replaced the injured Josh Hazlewood in the starting eleven.

India playing XI: Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Srikar Bharat(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj

Australia playing XI: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey(w), Pat Cummins(c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland

Here's how fans reacted to Ashwin's omission from India's WTC final squad:

Sad!
Lost half of my interest. The other half left is just to witness Virat bat against Australian pace.

— Tarun Bharadia (@TarunBharadia) June 7, 2023

Another game where India could lose just based on the selection.

— Saatvik Sharma (@SaatvikSharma15) June 7, 2023

Sad but the right call on this pitch!

— Chirag Kothari (@ChiragJKothari) June 7, 2023

Ab koi expert bolke dikhao....world ka number 1 spinner bahar kyu h???

— Barfi (@harsh_kapdiya) June 7, 2023

Not fair but they don't have choice 2 spinners on seaming pitch not the ideal choice.
But feel for ash we are playing 2nd wtc final and ash played big big role to get us here.

— A J A Y (@aw7737275) June 7, 2023

No legend spinner in the #WTCFinal2023

— djay (@djaywalebabu) June 7, 2023

He has become a Full-time YouTuber currently

— muralisvlog (@muralisvlogofcl) June 7, 2023

He was highest wicket taker for india in last wtc 💔
Shame on Ropig 😭

— Tanishq (@183and82) June 7, 2023

Even ashwin is better than rohit sharma in batting

— Deepak (@imDeepakRajj) June 7, 2023

How can India drop the No.1 Test bowler Ashwin? I would have played Ashwin in place of Jadeja. 4 left-handers in the top 7 for Australia and Ashwin has a better bowling strike rate in England.#WTCFinal2023

— Ravi 🇮🇳 (@Ravi_Ravi_Ravi3) June 7, 2023