For the ultimate prize in Test cricket, Team India and Australia will clash at the Oval from June 7 in the 2023 World Test Championship(WTC Final 2023.
In the WTC Final 2023, India will aim to avenge their loss from the 2021 WTC final against New Zealand and end their ICC title drought of 10 years while Australia will look to make a statement ahead of the crucial Ashes series in England.
The general feeling is that Australia will be starting the WTC final 2023 as the favorite over India. Why?
Here are 3 reasons why Australia are favored to win the WTC final 2023 against India:
Indian batters’ struggles in challenging conditions and their form
The English conditions at The Oval and the Aussie pace attack comprising the left-arm Starc and the ever-consistent pair of Cummins and Hazelwood/Boland will make life tough for the Indian team.
Sharma and Kohli had one big knock each against Australia, but Kohli’s century came one a flat, lifeless trakc in Ahmedabad. Rahul, who could play in the middle-order in the absence of Iyer, has already been dropped from the side due to his rut.
Ajinkya Rahane has been given a recall for this WTC final on the basis of his IPL confidence and some good runs in Ranji Trophy before the IPL. Both Rahane and Pujara didn’t have great series in England in 2021/22. Gill and Kohli both are also known to struggle early on when there is swing movement available.
Effectively, India’s Top 6 will be so fragile in these conditions that they really can be blown away inside a session-and-half if the Aussie bowlers get their radar on.
India’s bowling lacks depth in pace department
In the absence of Bumrah, India will have to chose at least one between Umesh and Unadkat, while Shardul Thakur .is also in line to play as bowling all-rounder. However, all three of them are having terrible time with the ball in the IPL, and have little red-ball cricket behind them. Worryingly, Umesh and Thakur are known to give away runs at a rapid rate and that could hurt big time in the WTC final, while Unadkat has featured in only 2 Test matches in his career, separated a decade apart.
Most of the Australian players are fit and fresh after not being part of the IPL
Of the Australian squad selected for the WTC final, only Warner and Green are currently playing in the IPL and Hazlewood is recovering from an injury. Rest of them are resting and preparing for the WTC final. Indians, on the other hand, are slogging in the IPL and only Pujara is playing in County cricket.
Australian fast bowler, in particular, will be feeling fresh and fit while the Indian players could be tired and exhausted by the time they complete a 2-month long IPL and leave for London.
Here is India’s squad for WTC final: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, KL Rahul, KS Bharat (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat
Australia’s squad for WTC final 2023: Pat Cummins (Captain), Steve Smith (VC), David Warner, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Matthew Renshaw, Marcus Harris, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Cameron Green, Mitchell Marsh, Scott Boland, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, and Todd Murphy
