NEW DELHI: To end their decade-long global trophy drought, the Indian team will need a perfect blend of skills and temperament when they take on an equally-strong Australia in the World Test Championship final, starting at The Ova on Wednesday.
India's consistent performances in the past two WTC cycles highlight their dominance in the longest format of the game. Their success can be attributed to a talented pool of cricketers who have displayed exceptional skills and determination.
Furthermore, India's bowling attack is one of the best in the world and has the ability to trouble even the most experienced batsmen.
1/10:WTC Final: Will India break ICC trophy drought?
ANI
2/10:WTC Final 2021
<p>India started as slight favourites against New Zealand in the first World Test Championship final in 2021 in Southampton. </p>Getty Images
3/10:Worthy losers
<p>But India crumbled under pressure on a low-scoring fast bowlers' pitch from New Zealand's five-prong pace attack on the fifth day. </p>Getty Images
4/10:India vs Australia
<p>India have now made it back to the final to face Australia on neutral turf at The Oval from Wednesday. </p>ANI
5/10:Slight favourites
<p>Given they are ranked No. 1 and have beaten Australia in their last four Test series, including two in Australia, India start slight favourites again. </p>ANI
6/10:Below expectations
<p>But India's record in global tournaments hasn't lived up to expectations and they haven't won a global event for 10 years; not since the 2013 Champions Trophy. </p>Getty Images
7/10:No India triumph
<p>Since then, another Champions Trophy, two Cricket World Cups, four T20 World Cups and a WTC have come and gone without an India triumph.</p>Getty Images
8/10:Painful lesson
<p>India suffered by playing three seamers in the 2021 final, even after rain washed out the scheduled first day. </p>Getty Images
9/10:No rain prediction
<p>But there's no rain forecast this week; there hasn't been any rain in London for three weeks. The track is dry and bouncy. Whether it will break up is a mystery. </p>ANI
10/10:The Oval
<p>The Oval has never before staged a Test in June in 143 years. Australia's confidence is boosted by the Test not being in India. </p>ReutersHowever, winning a global trophy requires more than just skill. It demands a combination of skill, temperament, and performing under pressure. India have come close to winning major white-ball tournaments in the past decade, reaching the knockout stages but falling short of claiming the trophy. Therefore, it is crucial for the Indian cricketers to maintain their composure and handle the pressure situations effectively.
Facing Australia, a team known for its competitive spirit and history of success, adds an extra layer of challenge. Australia has a formidable team with experienced players who have consistently performed well in crucial matches. India will need to strategize and execute their plans flawlessly, making use of their strengths while countering Australia's tactics.
The last major ICC trophy India won was way back in 2013 when it bagged the Champions Trophy in England. Since then, the side has lost three finals and on four occasion it bit dust at the semifinal stage. It also made an exit at the preliminary stage of the 2021 T20 World Cup.
The country has been pretty much driving the finances of the sport and considering the vast talent pool on offer, the expectations of dominating the game on field seem only fair.
1/10:WTC Final: Players to watch out for
IANS
2/10:Cheteshwar Pujara
<p>Several Australia players acclimatised to English conditions ahead of the WTC final with county stints but Cheteshwar Pujara found himself captaining Steve Smith at Sussex. </p>PTI
3/10:Purple patch
<p>Pujara enjoyed a purple patch for Sussex that included three hundreds in six innings in April and May. </p>AP
4/10:Pujara vs Australia
<p>Pujara's patient method of accumulating runs could prove valuable against a powerful Australia pace attack. </p>Reuters
5/10:Steve Smith
<p>The highest score Steve Smith could manage at Sussex was 89, but he has a superb Test record at The Oval, averaging nearly 98 with 2 tons in 3 matches. </p>Reuters
6/10:Pat Cummins
<p>Pat Cummins and Mohammed Shami will both have extra responsibility in the absence of injured quicks Josh Hazlewood and Jasprit Bumrah respectively. </p>AP
7/10:Cummins in England
<p>During the drawn 2019 Ashes series in England, Cummins led Australia's attack with 29 wickets in five matches at a miserly average of 19.62. </p>Getty Images
8/10:Mohammed Shami
<p>At his best, Mohammed Shami gives India captain Rohit Sharma great control in the field with his experience. </p>Reuters
9/10:Nathan Lyon
<p>Nathan Lyon has been Australia's leading specialist slow bowler for over a decade, with 482 Test wickets at an average of just over 31 apiece. </p>AP
10/10:Ravichandran Ashwin
<p>India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is closing in on 500 Test wickets, with 474 at 23.93 from 92 matches. </p>PTIOut of the six series India played in this cycle, their only series loss came in South Africa and that led to an unexpected change of guard with Rohit Sharma taking over the leadership role from Virat Kohli.
They remained unconquerable at home, drew a hard-fought series in England before surviving a slight scare in Bangladesh.
Winning the big titles is what defines the legacy of a team but whatever may be the outcome of the final at The Oval, India head coach Rahul Dravid's opinion about his team won't change.
"In the context of things, you look at this and you see this is the culmination of two years of work. It's a culmination of a lot of success that gets you here," said Dravid ahead of the title clash.
"Winning the series in Australia, drawing series here, being very competitive everywhere that this team has played in the world over the last five or six years. I think those are things that will never change just because you have or you don't have an ICC trophy," he said.
Need to learn from past mistakes
India ignored the conditions and went with their traditional strength -- two spinners - against the Black Caps in the final at Southampton two years ago but the move backfired.
As The Oval gears up to host its first ever Test in June in its 143-year existence, India are heading into the unknown and face a couple of key selection calls that might decide the fate of the game.
It will always be a temptation to play both Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin in the same team but considering that it is only the start of the summer and pitches are fresh, there is a strong case for a fourth pace bowling option.
In the batting department, Rishabh Pant is not available to bail the team out in case of a top-order collapse. Therefore, the management needs to decide whether it need the 'x-factor' of Ishan Kishan or the more reliable wicket-keeping skills of K S Bharat.
The wily Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj pick themselves in the pace department and a call needs to be made between old-horse Umesh Yadav and all-rounder Shardul Thakur.
1/10:India road to WTC Final against Australia
Getty Images
2/10:India vs England
<p>The five-match India-England series was split with the first four matches played in August 2021 and the series decider - the fifth Test - a year later in July 2022. </p>Getty Images
3/10:Honours get even
<p>Indians were leading 2-1 when the series had to be stopped in 2021 due to COVID19. India lost the Edgbaston Test in July 2022 as England levelled the series. India got 24 points from the series.</p>Getty Images
4/10:India vs New Zealand
<p>New Zealand managed to survive defeat in the first Test in Kanpur as India could not take one wicket to seal the match. </p>Getty Images
5/10:India beat New Zealand
<p>But India beat New Zealand in the second Test by 372 runs. Ajaz Patel's 10 wickets in the India first innings was the highlight. India got 16 points from the series. </p>Getty Images
6/10:South Africa beat India
<p>India won the first Test in Centurion but lost the next two and got 11 points from the series.<br /></p>Getty Images
7/10:Ravindra Jadeja
<p>In March 2022, India won the first Test against Sri Lanka at Mohali by an innings and 222 runs. Ravindra Jadeja's unbeaten 175 and 9 wickets in the match fashioned India's victory. </p>Getty Images
8/10:India beat Sri Lanka
<p>India won the day/night 2nd Test at Bengaluru by 238 runs and earned 24 points from the series. </p>TNN
9/10:India vs Bangladesh
<p>Playing on Bangladesh turf, India won the first Test at Chattogram comfortably by 188 runs with Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel leading the wickets tally. </p>TNN
10/10:Shreyas Iyer
<p>In the 2nd Test at Mirpur, India needed a 71-run unbroken 8th wicket stand between Shreyas Iyer and Ravichandran Ashwin to seal victory and win 24 points from the series. </p>Getty ImagesThe quick switch from IPL to playing red ball cricket
Majority of India's squad members were involved in two-month long IPL and only got a week to train together in the scenic town of Arundel before heading to London.
As a modern-day cricketer, one is expected to smoothly switch formats but playing Test cricket in England is never easy.
The job gets tougher when one has to face the likes of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland, who is expected to start in place of injured Josh Hazlewood.
It is being as billed as the 'Ultimate Test' and it will indeed be one for proven performers like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as well for a rising star like Shubman Gill. Cheteshwar Pujara will look to extend the rich form he has shown in County cricket while Ajinkya Rahane will be itching to deliver in his comeback game.
For Australia, it's a high-stake 'warm up' for Ashes
In comparison to Indians who are match-fit after a long IPL season, Australians will go into the final with fresher mind and body.
Only three of their players were part of the league in India. Players like Cummins chose to prepare back home while Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith got themselves ready for the long summer with County stints.
The game could well be decided by how the top-order of either team fares against high-quality pace. After a couple of prolific seasons, opener Usman Khawaja will be expected to shine on the big stage while David Warner will have a point to prove in the twilight of his career.
Smith averages close to 100 at this ground and India will need to get rid of him early before he takes the game away from their grasp.
No matter how the surface will behave, veteran off-spinner Nathan Lyon will continue to ask questions and Cameron Green's contribution as an all-rounder will be invaluable.
Squads:
India: Rohit Sharma (captain), Ravichandran Ashwin, KS Bharat, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli, Ishan Kishan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Axar Patel, Ajinkya Rahane, Mohammad Shami, Mohammad Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Jaydev Unadakat, Umesh Yadav
Reserves: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar, Suryakumar Yadav
Australia: Pat Cummins (captain), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Josh Inglis, Todd Murphy, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, David Warner
Reserves: Mitch Marsh, Matt Renshaw
(With PTI inputs)
