Team India and Australia will compete in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2023 from June 7 at The Oval for the ultimate prize in Test cricket.
India come into this contest with the aim to avenge their loss in the WTC 2021 Final to New Zealand and also to end their decade-long ICC title drought. For Australia, it is a big chance to cement the legacy of one of their greatest-ever Test team and also lay down the marker for the upcoming Ashes series in England.
The two key men involved in this mega-clash will be India’s Virat Kohli and Australia’s Steve Smith.
Former Australia white-ball captain Aaron Finch has already declared that the performances of Virat Kohli and Steve Smith could very well decide the fate of the WTC Final 2023. Finch reckons dismissing Kohli and Smith cheaply would be the biggest priority of the bowling attacks of both teams.
Aaron Finch said: “Both batting at number four, so the key is to try and get them as early as possible, early wickets to expose them to the brand new ball will be absolutely key. I will always side with Steve Smith, I think his record is outstanding, but it will be a very good contest.”
Virat Kohli, Steve Smith chase big records in WTC Final 2023
Both Virat Kohli and Steve Smith have performed excellently against each other’s teams. And both are chasing big records in the list of most centuries in the India-Australia encounters.
Both have notched up 8 centuries against each other’s country and are tied with Ricky Ponting and Sunil Gavaskar. Only Sachin Tendulkar has more hundreds in India-Australia matches, 11 centuries.
Most hundreds in India vs Australia Test matches:
Sachin Tendulkar – 11 centuries (3630 runs)
Ricky Ponting – 8 centuries (2555 runs)
Virat Kohli – 8 centuries (1979 runs)
Steve Smith – 8 centuries (1887 runs)
Sunil Gavaskar – 8 centuries (1550 runs)
Virat Kohli vs Steve Smith head-to-head record:
Kohli has taken the Australian bowlers to a liking: 1979 runs in 24 Tests at an average of 48, including five fifties and 8 centuries with a highest score of 186.
Steve Smith, too, has enjoyed facing and scoring against the Indian bowlers: 1887 runs in 18 Tests at a terrific average of 65, comprising 8 hundreds and 5 fifties.
