Sachin Tendulkar has predicted that The Oval pitch for the WTC final will assist the spinners and the Indian team will be a happier unit at the venue, where they had won in their last outing.

“The Indian team will be happy that they are playing at the Oval. The nature of the Oval pitch is such that it assists the spinners as the match goes on. So, spinners will come into play a little bit,” Tendulkar said on his website 100mbsports.

“It need not be always a turning track as sometimes the spinners rely a lot on the bounce, sometimes that little bit of zip that they get off the pitch, also on the overhead conditions and it depends a lot on the shiny side of the ball... If they are able to get that drift, they can make the ball talk in the air without the pitch coming into play. So, Oval is going to be good venue for India,” he said.

Khawaja’s test of grit

Calcutta: Usman Khawaja, the first Pakistan-born cricketer to represent Australia in Tests, feels he has earned the respect of his teammates with his performances even while being his own self.

“The biggest challenge for me throughout my career playing for Australia has been fitting in... that has taken a little bit of time,” Khawaja told the ICC.

“A little bit of that is earning the respect of my teammates by scoring runs and performing on the field, and the other side is me being myself and comfortable in my own skin.”

With 4495 runs from 60 Tests, the 36-year-old enjoys the freedom in his game.

“I definitely get to be myself more now. Two things. One, I don’t give a c*** because I am older and I am at the backend of my career so I can do what I want. Two, these boys that I am playing with are guys that I grew up playing with,” he said.

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