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A depleted India definitely appear to be on the back foot ahead of the final.
The 32-year-old joins captain Pat Cummins, Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc as the specialist fast bowlers in the squad.
India had fielded both Ashwin and Jadeja in the final of the inaugural WTC against New Zealand at Southampton in a losing cause in 2021 under the captain-coach combination of Kohli and Shastri.
Rahul was ruled out of the remaining IPL season and the WTC final after he picked up an injury while fielding during a match against Royal Challengers Bangalore.
There should be a concerted effort to guide and nurture players who show potential at the first-class level and mould them into full-fledged members of the national side.
Rahane's comeback after 15 months was on predictable lines after Shreyas Iyer's back injury ruled him out of the grand finale.
Veterans Ajinkya Rahane and Ishant Sharma, who were previously in Grade B, have not been given contracts.
The BCCI should consider making it mandatory for all players in the reckoning for a place in the national side to play a minimum number domestic first-class matches.
India sealed their place in the final of the World Test Championships after Sri Lanka lost to New Zealand by two wickets in the Christchurch Test.
Opener Gill, playing his second match of the series, featured in three 50-plus partnerships to help India, who lead the series 2-1, reach 289/3 at stumps.