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Picture Credit: BCCI

A very good morning to all the readers of SportsTiger. The Selection Committee officially named 20-member squad which will travel to UK for WTC final and the five-match England Test series. However, all-rounder Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Kuldeep Yadav couldn't make the cut as they weren't named in the squad.

BCCI's chief selector Chetan Sharma has backed Team India to win the ICC World Test Championship trophy.

Here is the complete video:

India announce Playing XI of World Test Championship final against New Zealand; leave out Siraj and Vihari.

India’s Playing XI for WTC Final against New Zealand: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma

6:50 PM: Let's have a look at the squad for the two sides

Team India squad:

IN: Rohit Sharma, Shubhman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (C), Ajinkya Rahane (VC), Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (WK), Wriddhiman Saha (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Siraj

Read More: No place for Shardul Thakur, Mayank Agarwal as India announce 15-member squad

OUT: Mayank Agarwal, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, KL Rahul

New Zealand squad:

IN: Kane Williamson (C), Tom Blundell, Trent Boult, Devon Conway, Colin de Grandhomme, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, henry Nicholls, Ajaz Patel, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling and Will Young

Read More: New Zealand announce 15-member squad for World Test Championship final against India 

OUT: Doug Bracewell, Jacob Duffy, Daryl Mitchell, Rachin Ravindra and Mitchell Santner

The much-awaited World Test Championship is just three days away and both the sides have finally named their respective 15-member squad.

International Cricket Council (ICC) CEO Geoff Allardice has finally opened up on the award for the much-awaited clash. Notably, the winners will take home the Test Championship mace along with the USD 1.6 million.

The runners-up will be awarded with prize money of USD 800,000 and if the battle ends in a draw, the sum will be equally divided among the two sides.

After a lot of speculation the prize money for the WTC campaign has been announced.

Watch India vs New Zealand Preview – Probable XI, Key Players and More video here:

6:24 PM: REVEALED! BCCI source opened up on Prithvi Shaw's exclusion from the WTC final squad. "Prithvi Shaw is still very slow across the turf for a 21 year old. He needs to shed a few more kilos. Shaw has been working hard since he returned from Australia. He has Pant's example in front of him. If Pant can turn things around, Prithvi too can," quoted a BCCI source as stating to TOI.

5:07 PM: Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra believes that Hardik Pandya might not be seen in Test cricket for a long time after the all-rounder did not get a place in India’s squad for upcoming WTC Final and 5-match series against England. As some sources pointed out he is having some problem in the shoulder after the back surgery.

4:18 PM: Although the Selection Committee has named a 20-member squad who do you think will make it into the Playing XI. Here's our Playing XI for the WTC Final. Read More.

3:30 PM: As per the update from BCCI source, even the families have been permitted to accompany the players for the WTC final and England series.

1:52 PM: Fourth player from the KKR squad has tested positive for COVID-19. This time it is KKR and Team India pacer Prasidh Krishna. BCCI had earlier named Prasidh as a standby player for the WTC Final on Friday.

12:26 PM: According to sources, "Hardik Pandya doesn't seem to sustain the load of bowling, he has recovered from back surgery, changed his action but now the shoulder is bothering him." With the T20 WC coming, giving him more time to get into the shape for marquee event is what made the selectors leave him in for the WTC final & England tour.

Read More: Team India to undergo mandatory 8-day quarantine starting from May 25, to leave for UK on June 2

11:30 AM: In the latest update coming for BCCI is that the Indian team will come together on May 25 to undergo a mandatory 8-day quarantine before traveling to UK.

Welcome back to where we left yesterday.

7:30 PM: With this we come to an end to the live blog for India's squad announcement. What an eventful day finally leading up to the all-important 20-names. Although there were some notable omissions, Indian fans have got to believe that this is their best squad on current form and fitness and that Virat Kohli and his men can not only clinch the ICC World Test Championship but repeat the heroics of Australia in and against England.

7:00 PM: It remains to be seen the kind of combination the team management decides to go ahead with. Will it be just 3 pacers in the XI at Southampton or will Shardul Thakur compete with R Ashwin for a place in the side? The answer will depend on the reading of the pitch by the captain and his assessment of the conditions.

6:48 PM: Since here has been no red-ball game in India since March 2020, the selectors have seemingly picked the squad with what they saw in Australia which was perhaps one of the major reasons behind Shaw's exclusion who had a sensational run in the Vijay Hazare Trophy- a List A 50-overs competition.

Also Read | Live Blog - ICC World Test Championship Final 2021

6:43 PM: There was a clear slump in the form of Kuldeep Yadav and in a team which had R Jadeja, R Ashwin, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar, he simply couldn't find a spot. He would need to get back to the grind of domestic cricket.

6:37 PM: The most surprising has been the exclusion of Bhuvi though since the conditions on offer in England are expected to suit his style of bowling. The question remains is Bhuvneshwar fit enough to bowl in a five-match Test series?

6:30 PM: Sources have revealed that Prithvi Shaw's name was not discussed in the selectors' team meeting. Moreover, Hardik wasn't fit enough to bowl and could not make the cut purely as a batsman.

6:22 PM: However, it is shocking to see that there is no place for all-rounder Hardik Pandya in the squad. Even Kuldeep Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar are two key players missing out in the 20-man squad.

6:13 PM: BCCI has also named 4 standby players for the WTC final and the England series. Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan, Abhimanyu Easwaran and Arzan Nagwaswalla are the four players.

6:06 PM: KL Rahul & Saha (WK) have also been named with subject to fitness clearance.

Read More: JUST IN | India announce 20-member squad for World Test Championship final against New Zealand

6:05 PM: India's squad: Virat Kohli (C), Ajinkya Rahane (VC), Rohit Sharma, Gill, Mayank, Cheteshwar Pujara, H. Vihari, Rishabh (WK), R. Ashwin, R. Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Bumrah, Ishant, Shami, Siraj, Shardul, Umesh.

6:04 PM: The Selection Committee has finally released the squad for the WTC final.

5:41 PM: The Indian squad is likely to depart on June 2, 2021 for the WTC final and England Test series.

5:28 PM: High possibility of including Devdutt Padikkal and Rahul Chahar in India's 30-member squad.

5:08 PM: However, no major update has been rolled out by the officials till now, it is for sure that India will go with a jumbo squad. India A's tour of England this summer has been postponed and the senior team will now have an integrated jumbo squad for the five-match Test series in England, scheduled after the WTC final.

4:01 PM: With the selection committee meeting discussing the team, here is our Playing XI for #TeamIndia for the #WTCFinal.

3:39 PM: According to the recent reports doing rounds on the internet, BCCI is likely to create bio-bubble in India before the players leave for WTC final.

Read More: BCCI likely to create bio-bubble in India before players leave for WTC final

2:46 PM: Before BCCI and the Selection Committee announce, let's take a look at the probable 15-member squad for the WTC final. Read More

2:18 PM: The BCCI Selection Committee meeting headed by Chetan Sharma will start around 3 pm to pick Indian squad for the World Test Championship final & England Test Series as well. Stay Tuned for Latest Updates!

1:45 PM: In the batting department, India A openers Abhimanyu Easwaran and Priyank Panchal will be in contention along with IPL stars Devdutt Padikkal and Ruturaj Gaikwad.

1:30 PM: According to recent reports, the pace department could have a surprise pick in Prasidh Krishna. The 25-year-old Karnataka bowler will also have competition from Delhi’s Navdeep Saini. The other pacers who could are almost guaranteed a spot will be Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur. Mohammed Shami, who missed out on the England Tests, should also return to the fold.

1:13 PM: According to Cricbuzz, Shami, Umesh Yadav, Hanuma Vihari, Ravindra Jadeja are likely to return into the India team. Hardik Pandya and Prithvi Shaw likely to miss out.

12: 33 PM: The selectors are expected to pick a 30-strong India squad for the four-month trip to United Kingdom. The selectors could make a few surprising decisions while dropping some big names. The squad will reportedly consist of at least four openers, about four to five middle-order batsmen, eight to nine pacers, four to five spinners and two to three wicketkeepers.

12: 20 PM: The series will begin at Nottingham (Aug 4-8) and will be followed by matches at Lord’s (August 12-16), Leeds (Aug 25-29), Oval (Sep 2-6) and Manchester (Sep 10-14). A 14-day hard quarantine for passengers travelling from India to UK and the existing COVID-19 situation in the country has forced BCCI to pick a big squad which will have some automatic choices and the best performers from India.