Indian skipper Rohit Sharma admitted it was a tough decision to leave Ravichandran Ashwin out of the playing XI of the World Test Championship final against Australia as the off-spinner has been a match-winner for them over the years.

Meanwhile, Ravichandran Ashwin is the numero uno bowler in the ICC Test rankings and it was tough for the team to leave him out.

In fact, Ashwin was the leading wicket-taker in the Border-Gavaskar series 2023 as he had scalped 25 wickets in four Test matches against Australia. However, the conditions at the Oval are completely different.

Furthermore, India had gone in with two spinners in WTC Final 2021 against New Zealand but the decision backfired as they suffered a eight-wicket loss.

As the conditions were overcast at the Oval, Rohit decided to bowl first against Australia. India decided to back Ravindra Jadeja ahead of Ravichandran Ashwin and they have gone in with four seamers – Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami, Shardul Thakur, and Umesh Yadav.

“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,” Rohit told the broadcaster at the toss.

“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.”

Meanwhile, India’s former vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane got back in the final XI on the back of good performances in the domestic circuit and the IPL.

“He (Rahane) brings a lot of experience, he’s played 80-odd Test matches and he’s done well for the team. He’s been out for a while but but I don’t think the experience that he has can change all of that.”

Australia are 125-3 after 37 overs on the opening day’s play with Steve Smith and Travis Head batting in the middle.