Three factors that might impact the result of WTC final

The highly anticipated final game of the second edition of the World Test Championship is scheduled to commence on 7th June at the historic Oval stadium in London. Cricket fans around the world are eager to witness the clash between arch-rivals Australia and India as they compete for the coveted championship title. Team India has reached the finals for the second time, having previously faced New Zealand in the inaugural WTC final.

On the other hand, Australian cricket has shown a strong focus on the longer format of the game. Their remarkable performance throughout the season propelled them to the top of the WTC point table with an impressive tally of 152 points and 11 wins. Cricket enthusiasts are eagerly awaiting this high-stakes clash between two formidable teams, as both Australia and India look to etch their names in history by lifting the World Test Championship trophy.

It is only because of World Test Championship, ICC has revived the interest of the common man towards Test cricket. The red-ball format of cricket is the oldest format of the game and it has witnessed some interesting clashes in the past. A Test format is a true test of the patience and talent of an individual player. Across the globe, the Test-playing countries have kept a special space for Test cricket and the quality of players is the best among all the formats of cricket.

We have compiled a list of three factors that will impact the result of the WTC final.

1) The Pitch of the Oval

The Oval is one of the most historical cricket grounds in the world. England played its first-ever Test fixture at the Oval in 1885. It has also witnessed some of the best Test fixtures from the Ashes. Even Sir Donal Bradman played his last match at the Oval. Considering the history of the Oval, it can be said that it is one of the best venues to experience Test cricket. The pitch of the Oval has no grass on it and hence it has a good bounce and supports the pace attack and the batting side equally with the new ball.

The spinners find it a difficult venue to try their variations at the pitch and pick wickets during the early hours of the game. India will be playing with the two spinners, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin. The deadly duo is known to dominate the game with their spin attack. Team India will have to depend on the pace of attack to impose their control over the game most of the time.

2) The return of Pat Cummins

The Australian skipper was out of action because of his personal reasons. Pat was not part of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy as well which was held in India in March this year. Cricket Australia has announced that he will be making his return to international cricket by leading the team in the WTC Final. Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Scott Boland will also take part in the fixture. The trio – Cummins, Hazlewood, and Starc have become a deadly combination in the pace attack and Indian batters will find them difficult to play at the Oval pitch.

3) The trio of Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli

Team India has a good depth in their batting and even after the injury of Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, and KL Rahul, team India has Ajinkye Rahane and KS Bharat in the middle order. However, the opening partnership between Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill will make a major difference. Skipper Rohit Sharma has not shown good form in recent times but stability will be expected from him in the final game. Virat Kohli has shown some positivity in all the formats of the game and his presence on the pitch for a long time will be a big trouble for Cumminsa and his men.