The final of the 2021–2023 ICC World Test Championship, the second edition of the ICC World Test Championship, will be played from 7 to 11 June 2023 at the The Oval, London, England, between Australia and India
For the second straight time in as many editions, Team India have made the summit clash.
Last time India lost to New Zealand and will be itching to get their hands on the trophy this time.
Interesting statistics from India vs Australia Tests over the years:
India have a success % of 30.18 in Tests vs Australia, winning 32 and losing 44 out of 106 contested (Tied 1 and Drawn 29). Australia have the better win % of 41.50.
For the first time, the two teams would be contesting a Test match at a neutral venue.
Australia’s triumph by an innings and 226 runs at Brisbane in November/December 1947 remains their biggest vs India in Tests. The scores were Australia - 382 for eight wickets declared and India - 58 & 98.
India’s victory by an innings and 219 runs at Eden Gardens, Kolkata in March 1998 remains their largest vs Australia in Tests. The scores were India - 633/5 wickets declared and Australia - 233 & 181.
Just two Indian bowlers have produced a century of wickets vs Australia in Tests - 114 (ave 28.36) in 22 Tests by Ravichandran Ashwin and 111 (ave 30.32) in 20 Tests by Anil Kumble.
Nathan Lyon remains the only Australian bowler to bag 100-plus wickets against India in Tests - his tally being 116 at 32.40 runs apiece in 26 Tests.
Sachin Tendulkar is one of the three batsmen to have managed 3,000-plus runs vs Australia in Tests.
Tendulkar’s aggregate of 3630 (ave 55.00) in 39 Tests is bettered only by England’s Jack Hobbs - 3636 (ave 54.26) in 41 Tests. England’s David Gower is the only other batsman to have amassed 3000-plus runs vs Australia - his tally being 3269 at an average of 44.78, including nine hundreds and twelve fifties, in 42 Tests.
Tendulkar’s tally of eleven hundreds in Tests vs Australia is bettered only by Jack Hobbs. However, Tendulkar’s tally of 20 hundreds across formats vs Australia is a record by any batter.
Harbhajan Singh, by dismissing Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist and Shane Warne off successive deliveries in the 2000-01 Kolkata Test, accomplished India’s first hat-trick in Tests.
India (171 & 657/7 dec.) defeated Australia (445 & 212) by 171 runs at Kolkata in March 2001. The said instance provided the third occasion when a team lost the Test after enforcing a follow-on.
Australia became the first team to earn the above dubious distinction on three occasions. The first two occasions being at Sydney in 1894 and at Leeds in 1981 - both times vs England.
With their defeat in the Kolkata Test in March 2001, Australia’s winning streak of sixteen Tests got broken.
Harbhajan Singh’s impressive tally of 32 wickets (ave 17.03) in the 2000-01 series remains an Indian record against any opponent in a three-Test series. He remains the only Indian bowler to capture 30 wickets or more in a three-Test series.
VVS Laxman remains the only Indian batter to manage 500-plus runs in a three-Test series vs Australia - 503 (ave 83.83), including a hundred and three fifties, in 2000-01.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni enjoyed a success % of 61.53 as captain, winning eight, losing four and drawing the remaining one out of 13 played.
Both India and Australia are missing some key players ahead of the WTC final. India have lost the services of pacer Jasprit Bumrah, wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul to their respective injury. Meanwhile, Australia have also seen their star player Josh Hazlewood miss the final Test due to a problem with his left Achilles, coupled with a strain in his left side arm.
Most cricket pundits and former cricketers, including Ricky Ponting, Wasim Akram and Ross Taylor, have given the Kangaroos the edge as the match will be played in swinging conditions at The Oval in London.
Although India picked wickets but the bowlers couldn’t stop Australia from scoring runs. India mustn’t repeat the same mistake to let the tail score freely.
Team India’s playing XI
