“Will Australia Conquer India in the ICC World Test Championship Final?”

Australia vs India: World Test Championship Final

The International Cricket Council’s (ICC) World Test Championship final is set to take place between Australia and India at The Oval in London. This one-off match will determine the world’s best Test cricket team. Although the Ashes are on everyone’s mind, this match is equally important as it gives a chance to grab silverware. The two teams are currently ranked number one and two in Test cricket standings.

What is the ICC World Test Championship?

The ICC introduced the World Test Championship in 2019 to revive the Test cricket format outside England, Australia, and India, which were losing relevance to the popularity of T20 franchise cricket. The championship follows league-style format and lasts for two years, where each Test played counts toward points. Each country must play three home and three away series. The top two sides then proceed to the final. New Zealand emerged as the inaugural winner by defeating India in June 2021.

How Does It Work?

Nine of the twelve Test-playing nations competed in the first World Test Championship, which include Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and the West Indies. The Ashes consists of five Tests, while most bilateral series settle for two, offsetting financial losses by playing more lucrative limited-over matches. Due to differences in importance placed by each country on the Test matches, every team ends up playing a different number of Tests. For instance, England played 22 matches, while Sri Lanka managed only 12.

How Fair is the World Test Championship?

Over the course of six series in two years, all the countries do not get a chance of playing against each other. For example, Australia has not played Bangladesh or New Zealand in this cycle. Similarly, England avoided matches against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Points are awarded per Test played, with 12 points for a win, 4 for a draw and 6 for a tie. The championship winner is not determined only by adding the number of points but by calculating the percentage of points they could have collected during the period.

Who Finished Top of the Ladder?

Australia emerged as the top team in the last two-year cycle of World Test Championship final standings, winning 66.67% of the points they could have collected in the 19 Tests they played. India finished in second place, having garnered 58.80% of the points from the 18 Tests they played.

What Happens if the Final is a Draw?

In the last cycle, six out of 20 Tests between Australia and India ended in a draw. In the current match, in the event of a draw, the competition will be shared. The possibility of weather affecting the game, played in England in June, means that the Test match has a sixth-day as insurance.

Who is Playing for Australia?

Michael Neser replaced Josh Hazlewood, who has been injury-prone, in Australia‘s 15-man squad. Pat Cummins returns to captain the side, having missed the last two Tests in India following the death of his mother, Maria.

Final Thoughts

The upcoming Australia–India World Test Championship final is a significant match for both teams. In recent contests, India has dominated Australia, holding the Border-Gavaskar trophy since 2017 and winning their last three series. Nevertheless, the unpredictable nature of Test cricket makes anything possible. Fans worldwide will be eagerly waiting to see the results, and Australia will hope to lift their first World Test Championship trophy.