Rating the IPL 2021 performances of India's World Test Championship batsmen

With the 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL) postponed indefinitely, the focus of cricket fans in the country has shifted to the World Test Championship (WTC) final.

Scheduled to take place in June at Southampton, the inaugural WTC final will see India take on New Zealand, who will also play two Tests against England before the encounter. For Virat Kohli's men, on the other hand, match practice will be hard to come by. They might have to rely on the experience of playing the IPL, even though T20 cricket is a completely different ball game.

In this article, we rate (out of 10) the IPL 2021 performances of India's World Test Championship batsmen.

Didn't play in IPL 2021: Cheteshwar Pujara, Hanuma Vihari, Abhimanyu Easwaran

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How did India's WTC batsmen fare in IPL 2021?

Shubman Gill disappointed in IPL 2021

Rohit Sharma - 7.5/10

Rohit Sharma was on track to have the most prolific IPL season of his long career when the tournament was cut short. Although we didn't see a typically big innings from the Mumbai Indians skipper, he regularly gave his team good starts and led from the front.

Rohit notched up 250 runs in seven games at an average of 35.71, and his captaincy was quite good as usual. MI were just gathering momentum when the IPL was suspended and would've probably mounted a serious challenge for a top-two spot.

Shubman Gill - 3/10

Shubman Gill was one of the biggest disappointments in IPL 2021, with only 132 runs from seven games at an average of 18.85 and a strike rate of 117.85. The Kolkata Knight Riders opener tried to steer clear of strike-rate criticism but fell victim to several careless shots in the process.

Gill's failures meant that KKR never really got going in the tournament, and also put immense pressure on the middle order to dig the team out of the hole they were inevitably in early on.

Mayank Agarwal - 6/10

Mayank's brilliant unbeaten 99 in his only match as Punjab Kings captain salvaged what was turning out to be a middling IPL 2021 season. He did have his moments and appeared to find form soon after the start of the competition, but never really carried on.

Mayank got some valuable match practice, though, after sitting out most of India's Australia tour and home series against England. His IPL 2021 numbers read 260 runs from seven games at an average of 43.33 and a strike rate of 141.3.

Virat Kohli - 5/10

Kohli led the Royal Challengers Bangalore to the top of the IPL 2021 points table early on, but he would be disappointed with his showing at an individual level. The Indian skipper had 198 runs in seven games at an average of 33 and a strike rate of 121.47 - far below the lofty standards he sets for himself.

Kohli's form is certainly a concern for India heading into the World Test Championship final, as he is the talisman around which the middle order revolves.

India need their famed middle order to come to the party against New Zealand

Ajinkya Rahane - 2/10

Rahane played only one innings in IPL 2021, scoring eight runs, before losing his place in the Delhi Capitals playing XI to Steve Smith. The experienced batsman didn't do his T20 credentials a world of good, but India will realize the value he brings to the Test side at No. 5.

However, Rahane hasn't been at his best even in red-ball cricket, with a string of low scores against England. He needs to step up in the World Test Championship final against a quality seam-bowling opposition.

Rishabh Pant - 9/10

Pant's maiden stint as IPL captain couldn't have gone any better, as the Delhi Capitals were at the top of the table when the tournament was called off. He showed a willingness to take responsibility and bat up the order, scoring 213 runs in eight games at an average of 35.5 and a strike rate of 131.48.

Now the clear first-choice keeper for India in Tests, Pant will look to carry his IPL 2021 form into the longest format of the game.

KL Rahul - 8/10

Rahul once again put the Punjab Kings batting lineup on his back in IPL 2021, scoring 331 runs in seven games at an average of 66.2 and a strike rate of 136.21. He didn't have much support from the other batsmen, but spent considerable time in the middle and recorded four fifties.

Rahul's availability for the England tour is uncertain after undergoing surgery for appendicitis. India will hope that he recovers in time to board the flight to Southampton.

Wriddhiman Saha - 1/10

Saha played two innings in IPL 2021 and managed just eight runs. He struggled for the Sunrisers Hyderabad at the top of the order and wasn't his secure self behind the stumps either.

Saha is another player who's under an injury cloud. But even if he makes it to England, there's little chance of him making the playing XI ahead of Pant.