Ravi Shastri picks his preferred pacer for WTC final, ahead of Scott Boland

Former Team India head coach Ravi Shastri shared his thoughts on which fast bowlers Australia should select for the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s.

Australia are set to head into the WTC final with a formidable pace attack featuring Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Scott Boland, with the latter three likely competing for two of the three fast bowling spots alongside skipper Cummins.

Shastri believes that if Hazlewood is fully fit, he should get the nod over Boland, citing his greater experience in English conditions.

“It will be a very tough choice, but if Hazlewood is fit, then he gets the nod ahead of Boland, If Hazlewood is fit to do that, he will definitely get the nod for two reasons. One, the English conditions, two, Lord`s with the slope,” Shastri said, as quoted by ICC.

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Praising Hazlewood, the former Team India cricketer said he bowls like the legendary pacer Glenn McGrath. “And the reason I say Lord`s slope is Hazlewood is most likened to Glenn McGrath. And you`ve got to just check Glenn McGrath`s record at Lord`s, with the slope around and bowling from the Commentary Box end…He (McGrath) could be lethal with the ball either seaming back or going away and from either end, to be honest and I think Hazlewood can do something similar with his height,” he added.

Hazlewood missed out on the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Team India held last December. Additionally, the speedster was also ruled out of Australia`s tour of Sri Lanka and the Champions Trophy 2025 campaign due to calf injuries.

The 34-year-old has since made a comeback to competitive cricket in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) and has shown good form for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), taking 16 wickets in nine matches.

RCB are placed in the third position with six victories and three defeats in the IPL 2025. The Rajat Patidar-led RCB will lock horns with Delhi Capitals (DC) in their upcoming IPL 2025 match on April 27.

The match is scheduled to be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

(With ANI Inputs)