WTC Final 2023: It is only a couple of weeks to go for the World Test Championship (WTC) final to kick-start between India and Australia at The Oval. Both teams have players who would want to cement their legacies with a win in Test cricket’s new, biggest prize: the WTC mace.
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 big statement ahead of the crucial Ashes series in England.
Here are three Indian batters to watch out for in the WTC Final 2023 vs Australia:
Virat Kohli
‘KING’ Virat Kohli has attained another peak in his cricketing career. After a long-ish slump in the middle, Kohli is back to his best; he’s reeled off centuries in all formats in the past year, including breaking his Test century drought against Australia in Ahmedabad. There wouldn’t be any other team than Australia who riles up Kohli: 24 Tests, average of 48 with 8 centuries and 5 fifties.
Under Kohli’s captaincy, India lost the WTC 2021 final to New Zealand. He’d be keen to correct that and help India to their first ICC title in 10 years.
Shubman Gill
From KING Kohli to Prince Shubman Gill – the past, present, and future will glitter India’s batting at the Oval against Australia in the WTC Final.
Like Kohli, Gill is also coming off a sensational IPL season and a stunning past 12 months in international cricket with centuries across formats. Shubman Gill is in supreme touch and will want to make a big statement in Test cricket. Gill’s 91 against Australia at the Gabba in 2021 is still fresh in fans’ minds. Given his form, he could play another big, crucial knock against Australia. He had notched up a century against Australia in Ahmedabad.
However, dealing with the Aussie pacers in pace-friendly English conditions will perhaps be the toughest challenge of Shubman Gill’s brief Test career so far.
Ajinkya Rahane
Ajinkya Rahane is recalled to the Test setup for this one-off Test match that is the WTC Final. With Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul both ruled out due to injuries, Rahane is all but certain to bat again in the middle-order.
While it was his form in the IPL – the confidence he showed and the quality of strokes he played – forced his recall to the Test setup, it is his experience in English conditions and against Australia that would have largely been on the selectors’ minds. Rahane has been one of the India’s best batters of the past decade away from home: he has an average of 40 away from home compared to 35 in India.
What his IPL form also implied that he’s playing his strokes with freedom and in the WTC Final, Rahane could shift the momentum of the match in quick time.
