The ICC World Test Championship (WTC) is one of the premier tournaments in the world. India will lock horns with Australia in the final second edition of WTC. This article looks at the five players who can turn the heat on Australia at the Oval in London.
WTC 2023 Final
India had played in the WTC 2021 final, losing the final to New Zealand by seven wickets at Rose Bowl in Southampton. A lot of water has flown under the bridge. Virat Kohli is no longer the team skipper. Moreover, team composition also looks different. India will miss the services of key red-ball players Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant.
If you are a huge cricket buff, we suggest you pick these five players in WTC 2023 final Online Cricket Betting.
Virat Kohli: The former captain would be desperate to prove a point against Australia. He was the skipper when India lost to New Zealand; this time, he would be looking to set the record straight with the bat. Kohli had a tremendous run in the IPL, where he accounted for 639 runs which had two centuries.
In the recently concluded Border Gavaskar Trophy 2023, he scored a century against Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium, accounting for 297 runs. Fans will be hoping that he makes life difficult for Aussie bowlers again.
Rohit Sharma: Unlike Kohli, who had a tremendous run in IPL, India skipper Rohit had a mediocre run for Mumbai Indians. He scored 332 runs in 16 matches with an average of 20.75.
In the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT), he scored a century against Australia in Nagpur, resulting in a winning cause for India. Can he repeat that sort of performance against Australia once again? The ‘Hitman’ will have the added responsibility of captaining India.
With 16 ducks, Rohit Sharma has registered second-most ducks in IPL. Do you know the different types of duck in cricket?
Ravindra Jadeja: Known as Jaddu, Jadeja will perhaps be India’s trump card at the Oval. In recent years, Jadeja has been phenomenal when walking through the opposition in the second innings of a Test match.
A case in point could be his performances against Australia in the recently-concluded BGT, where he picked up 22 wickets. Some of the notable performances include figures of 7/42 in the first innings of the second Test match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, where he ran through the Aussie batting lineup.
Fans are hoping for another such performance at the Oval.
Ajinkya Rahane: Dropped from the Test side after a disastrous Test tour to South Africa, Rahane is back in the business after a solid performance in the recently concluded IPL.
Rahane had played in the WTC 21 Final and almost accounted for a fifty, missing it by just a run. Nevertheless, he will have a chance again at the Oval when he comes out to bat against his favourite opposition – Australia. He has led India to multiple victories against this opposition as a captain.
Shubman Gill: Last but not least, don’t overlook Gill, the Orange Cap winner in the IPL this season. He went on to slam three centuries and four fifties, accounting for 851 runs at an astonishing average of 60.
He has an excellent record in red-ball cricket for India. Against Australia, he also had a century, which he scored in the 4th Test match in Ahmedabad during the BGT.
Final Thoughts on WTC 2023 Final
These players mentioned above could be the dangermen for India against Australia during the WTC 23 Final. The players must be wary, especially Gill, who has to adjust to the seam and swing movement on offer in the English conditions.