WTC Final 2023 – A Preview

By Rahul Patil

Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Over two months of separation from test cricket has led to red ball cricket cravings for every test cricket tragic. I had a great time following the IPL and writing about all the drama and excitement that comes with it. But one cannot survive on a daily diet of two minute noodles and popcorn chicken. After a few days you have to go back to a wholesome meal of carbs, protein, vegetables and fruit. Test cricket is a wholesome meal. One that is necessary for the health of the game.

My innocent wife was the happiest woman in the world when the IPL finished. Her insomniac husband was finally going to be awake during civil hours. Little did she know that there were six test matches on the horizon all starting at 10pm NZ time. She has made peace with the fact that her husband is having an extra marital affair with the game of cricket. There could be worse things in life.

A romantic date means different things to different people. To some it might mean a walk on the beach with their partner, holding hands while watching the sunset. To others it might mean a candle lit dinner at a restaurant along with a bottle of red wine and jazz music playing in the back ground. Some prefer takeaways in the comfort of their homes while watching a romantic movie with their beloved.

Similarly, in cricket too some people prefer the clearing of the front leg for the hoick over mid-wicket. I am more of straight bat, high elbow, play the ball under your eyes kind of guy. Therefore, just the thought of the WTC final followed by the ashes has me grinning from ear to ear. Ripe strawberries and fresh cream. Show me someone who doesn’t like that.

Credit must be given to the ICC for coming up with the idea of the World Test Championship. Although it’s not a full proof model yet, it has made every series and test relevant. There are no more dead rubbers. A two-year cycle culminating in the final at a neutral venue acting as the seasoning to a flavorful gravy.

Gone are the days when Indian cricket teams used to be poor travelers. Gone also are the days when Australian cricket teams used to be invincible. No better proof of this than India’s back to back test series victories in Australia in 2018/19 and 2020/21. This rivalry is now bigger than The Ashes although I must admit that England’s red ball revolution has turned the upcoming Ashes series into a mouthwatering contest.

Man for man both teams are equally equipped. India will miss out on three first choice players due to injury namely Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah while Australia will be without the services of Josh Hazlewood. Both sides though have the depth of resources to make up for the losses.

Rahul’s Predicted India XI	Rahul’s Predicted Australia XI
Rohit Sharma	David Warner
Shubman Gill	Usman Khawaja
Cheteshwar Pujara	Marnus Labuschagne
Virat Kohli	Steven Smith
Ajinkya Rahane	Travis Head
Ravindra Jadeja	Cameron Green
K S Bharat	Alex Carey
Ravichandran Ashwin	Pat Cummins
Shardul Thakur	Mitchell Starc
Mohammed Shami	Nathan Lyon
Mohammed Siraj	Scott Boland

I know in the last WTC final against the blackcaps India played two spinners and lost but the spinners actually bowled really well. It was India’s lack of runs in the second innings that was the cause for the loss. Australia could potentially have five left handers in their playing XI. Ashwin loves bowling to left handers as much as a hungover individual loves greasy food. Jadeja should never be dropped, period. I thought long and hard about Umesh Yadav in place of Shardul Thakur but decided against it due to Thakur’s uncanny ability to pick up key wickets, break partnerships and turn a game on its head with either ball or bat in hand.

Apart from David Warner and Cameron Green a number of the Aussie’s decided to skip the IPL in order to rest for the WTC final and the ashes. There are positives and negatives to taking time off in the world of international sport. The lack of competitive cricket sometimes affects form and fitness. On the other hand, the break can help to rejuvenate tired minds and bodies.

Except for Cheteshwar Pujara the rest of the Indians were involved in the IPL. The good news is that Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shami, Siraj and Jadeja are in tremendous form. Too much cricket can lead to fatigue but the chance of winning their first ICC trophy since 2013 should be enough motivation for the players to give more than 100% to this one off test.

In this age of T20, the 100 and T10 cricket Pujara is a bit of an anachronism. In two seasons at Sussex he has plundered runs at will. A Bradmanesque average and a century scoring rate that Sir Jack Hobbs would have been proud of, Pujara is now the red ball captain of Sussex. He also loves playing against Australia. Could he be the man to grind the Aussies into submission once more?

Both sides have a pretty ordinary record at the Oval. India have a win percentage of 14.28%. Australia are a bit better at 18.42%. The dukes ball is a neutral too. India use the SG ball at home whereas Australia use the Kookaburra. The Oval is still regarded at the best wicket to bat on in England. With an extra day on hand to counter weather interruptions a result is certain. I feel that the side which is ready to risk losing while going for a win will be the one holding the mace at the end of the test.

Speaking about the mace, the blackcaps are still WTC champions for about a week more. Wherever you are in New Zealand it’s time to raise your glasses one last time for a team that made us proud on the world stage two years back. Cheers.

Follow Rahul on Twitter