WTC Final: Dinesh Karthik & Ravi Shastri solve India's biggest puzzle for IND vs AUS match

The world will witness two heavyweights of the cricketing world battle out at the Kennington Oval in London for the biggest crown in Test cricket. The Indian cricket team led by Rohit Sharma and Pat Cummins' Australia will be up against each other in the final of the World Test Championship to be held from June 7, 2023, to June 11, 2023. However, ahead of the India vs Australia WTC Final, Team India has a big issue over the wicketkeeper slot as Rishabh Pant is injured and the team needs a competent candidate to fill the position.

Ishan Kishan has been named as KL Rahul's replacement but is yet to play a Test for India. Now former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri and Indian batsman Dinesh Karthik have tried to solve the riddle for the Indian side. While KS Bharat is favourite to be Team India's first-choice wicketkeeper, former Indian coach Ravi Shastri was asked regarding who shall be wearing the gloves for the Indian team in the upcoming WTC final. 

Ravi Shastri picks KS Bharat as India's wicketkeeper for WTC Final

“See, that's another tight one (decision). Now, if two spinners are playing, then you would want Bharat to play. You have to see who's a better keeper. Is it Bharat or Ishan Kishan? Now, the fact that Bharat was given a run against Australia, where he played all the Test matches, I think he would be the obvious choice to go with", Ravi Shastri said on the ICC Review. 

While Ravi Shastri picked up KS Bharat to wear the gloves in the WTC final, Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik also picked KS Bharat as his first choice and opined that Ishan Kishan playing a debut Test in the World Test Championship will be a tough ask for him. 

Kishan or Bharat- Who is Dinesh Karthik's choice?

"I think Bharat will be a pretty straightforward choice because playing Ishan Kishan in his debut and a Test match straight in the World Test Championship Final is asking a bit too much. And the fact that KS Bharat probably tips the scale in favour of himself just a little bit with this keeping edge that he has got. So I do think they will go in with KS Bharat for the final", Dinesh Karthik said. 

The Indian team is currently ranked number one in the ICC Men's Test Team Rankings whereas Australia has also been in good form in the longer format in recent times.