With only few hours left in 2nd WTC final, here is brief look on the performance of two teams in this WTC cycle.
Introduction:
Is it the biggest cricket game in the world? Or is it a final that ought to be more than a one-off match but isn't because of the limitations of a calendar that pushes Test cricket to the periphery, awkwardly sandwiched between two events that are, in starkly different ways, more important, and tacked on to the conclusion of an exclusionary league that isn't even a proper league, in which nearly every team plays fewer Test matches than they did?
Maybe both are the answer. Despite its problems, the World Test Championship final will still be watched by 22 players. For them, it might be a turning point in their careers, and it could end with happiness or sorrow that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.
Given that it puts the two top teams from the previous two years of Test cricket against one another as well as perhaps from the previous ten years, this final feels extra significant.
India dominated Test cricket throughout the 2019–21 cycle, losing just one series to New Zealand before falling to the same team in the final. All of their main players were at or near their prime during this time. They had to navigate a more difficult path to the final this time, and some of the legendary players in their ranks have lost some of their former invulnerability, but they are still a fantastic squad that will cherish the opportunity to reverse what New Zealand did to them two years ago.
Australia will feel they should have qualified for that 2021 final but were left out due of an excessive penalty that put them in third instead of second on the points standings. But now that they're here, at the top of the league table, they have the advantage right away. They are an all-weather team, much like India, although they perform at their best when the pace rather than the spin is well favoured. More importantly, they start the game with fewer important players injured. Josh Hazlewood will be missed by Australia, while Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah, two once-in-a-generation talents, will be absent from India. India's depth of skill and their continued dominance are both merits of their system.
The players that populate the two sides of this final might also be making their final flourish. As well as R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, and Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami will soon join Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, and David Warner in reaching the age of 33. With the exception of captains Cummins and Rohit, who will both play their 50th Test on Wednesday, they have all played more than 50 matches.
So, two golden generations are competing for what might be their final chance at a Test world championship. Some dreams are destined to come true, while others are destined to fail.
Last five completed matches:
(Most recent first)
Australia:
D W L L D
India:
D L W W W
Players to watch:
Pat Cummins
In February and March, Pat Cummins underwent a trying tour of India, both on and off the pitch. He played in two Tests, taking three wickets at an average of 39.55, but left the tour in the middle to care for his gravely ill mother, who passed away during the fourth Test. Australia rallied from 2-0 down to win the third Test and tie the fourth while he was away, and interim captain Steven Smith received high plaudits for his tactical prowess. Although Smith underlined that this was now "Pat's team" and stated that he no longer had full-time leadership aspirations, Cummins' captaincy may still come under examination at The Oval, where he'll also want to reinforce his credentials as the best fast bowler in the world, particularly when Hazelwood is injured.
M Shami
Although Bumrah might disagree with Cummins' assertion that he is the world's finest fast bowler, he won't participate in this championship match. India loses their primary strike weapon when Bumrah is absent, and his absence may also throw off the balance of their attack because it will be more difficult for them to select four fast bowlers even if the situation calls for it. Mohammed Shami must therefore provide all of his expertise and poise to the game. India will be hoping he can find a method at The Oval to not just thrash the bat frequently but also find its edge. His record in England is deceptive with 38 wickets in 13 Tests at a 40.52 average because he usually bowled brilliantly there without experiencing a lot of luck.
Team News & Probable playing XI.
Australia:
Australia's starting XI nearly chooses itself now that it has been confirmed that Scott Boland will replace the injured Hazlewood. Travis Head will shift back to No. 5 and allow David Warner, who missed the past two Tests in India with a fractured elbow, to resume playing as opener alongside Usman Khawaja as Peter Handscomb leaves the team following a stellar run as a horses-for-courses middle-order batter in India. David Warner missed the last two Tests in India due to the injury.
Probable playing XI:
1. David Warner, 2. Usman Khawaja, 3. Marnus Labuschagne, 4. Steven Smith, 5. Travis Head, 6. Cameron Green, 7. Alex Carey (wk), 8. Pat Cummins (capt), 9. Mitchell Starc, 10. Nathan Lyon, 11. Scott Boland.
India:
For the first time since January 2022, Ajinkya Rahane will play in a Test match. Due to his experience, he is likely to replace the injured Sheyas Iyer at No. 5 ahead of Suryakumar Yadav. In the home series against Australia, KS Bharat's superior glovework gave him the edge over Ishan Kishan. However, in English conditions, where keepers spend much less time up to the stumps negotiating sharp turn and inconsistent bounce, India might be tempted to back Kishan because of his left-handedness and counterattacking abilities. They must decide whether to field four fast bowlers and just one spinner, Ravindra Jadeja, or whether to combine him with R Ashwin.
Probable playing XI:
1. Rohit Sharma (capt), 2. Shubman Gill, 3. Cheteshwar Pujara, 4. Virat Kohli, 5. Ajinkya Rahane, 6. Ravindra Jadeja, 7. KS Bharat/Ishan Kishan (wk), 8. R Ashwin/Shardul Thakur, 9. Umesh Yadav/Jaydev Unadkat, 10. Mohammed Shami, 11. Mohammed Siraj.
Pitch and Weather conditions.
Spin often plays a crucial role at The Oval. Since the start of 2012, during which time the ground has hosted 10 Tests, fast bowlers have averaged a collective 30.57 at The Oval and spinners 34.83. Of the English grounds that have hosted at least five Tests in this period, The Oval is where fast bowlers have achieved their worst collective average, while spinners have done better only at the Ageas Bowl (31.27) and Headingley (32.43).
These numbers, though, could have something to do with Oval Tests tending to take place in August and September, when the weather is warm and dry and the pitches have undergone wear and tear over the long English summer. The ground has never previously hosted a Test match as early as June.
In general, oval pitches have a lot of bounce, which could excite both quick and slow bowlers on either side and permit batsmen to play their shots if there isn't too much sideways movement.
The test match will begin with maximum temperatures in the low 20s Celsius, according to the forecast, which calls for a clear and sunny day. However, the scheduled fourth, fifth, and reserve days of Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, respectively, could see rain.
Past Statistics:
• India have defeated Australia in last four test series two at home and two away, all by 2-1 margin.
• Australia (0.411) and India (0.400) have near-identical win-loss ratios at The Oval. Australia have won seven and lost 17 of their 38 Tests here, while India have won two and lost five of their 14.
• Virat Kohli is 21 short of becoming the fifth India batter to score 2000 Test runs against Australia. Sachin Tendulkar (3630), VVS Laxman (2434), Rahul Dravid (2143) and Cheteshwar Pujara (2033) are the others to have reached the mark.
• In three Tests at The Oval, Steven Smith has scored 391 runs at an average of 97.75, with two hundreds and an 80 in five innings.
