Five Player Rivalries to Watch Out in WTC Final

The final game of the World Test Championship (WTC) is scheduled to be played on 7th June between India and Australia at the Oval, London. This is the second edition of the tournament and the second consecutive final for team India. The inaugural final of the World Test Championship was held in June 2021 between India and New Zealand at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton & New Zealand emerged as the champions by defeating India by 8 wickets.

The rivalry between India and Australia in cricket is one of the most intense and fiercely contested rivalries in the sport. The two teams have a long history of competitive matches and memorable moments on the cricket field. We will witness onfield rivalries between the players and here is the list of 5 player rivalries that will be seen in the WTC Final.

1) Virat Kohli vs Nathan Lyon

Virat Kohli is widely regarded as one of the most aggressive and dominant batsmen in modern cricket. His batting style is characterized by his aggressive approach and his ability to take control of the game. Kohli’s masterstroke lies in his aggressive mindset and the way he consistently puts pressure on the opposition with his attacking stroke play. However, one bowler who will trouble Kohli at the Oval will be Australian spinner, Nathan Lyon. Lyon has picked up Kohli’s wicket 7 times in the past but the latter has succeeded to score runs as well. Overall, Kohli has struggled in the red-ball format against the spinners and we are all set to witness an intense rivalry between the two.

2) Cheteshwar Pujara vs Josh Hazlewood

Since the day Cheteshwar Pujara made a comeback in his old form in the Test format, he has been a solid performer for Team India. When it comes to foreign pitches, Pujara has always succeeded to score runs and his experience will be valuable for team India in WTC. Josh Hazlewood has come out as one of the most successful Australian bowlers to trouble Pujara and he has successfully dismissed Pujara 6 times. If Josh Hazlewood successfully dismisses Pujara in WTC, team India will be under huge pressure.

3) Ravichandran Ashwin – David Warner

Indian sub-continent is known to produce some of the best spinners in the world. In modern times, Ravichandran Ashwin has come out on top with his consistent performances in Test cricket. His primary target in the final game of the Word Test Championship will be David Warner and that will be because the former has picked up Warner’s wicket on 10 occasions. Warner is one o the most dependable batsman in the Test format for Australia and if Ashwin is successful in his plan, Australia might be in huge trouble.

4) Rohit Sharma vs Pat Cummins

An onfield rivalry between the Indian skipper and the Australian captain will be an interesting thing to watch. Both players have seen success in international cricket as captains of their respective teams. Pat Cummins has dismissed Rohit Sharma on two occasions and he will be looking forward to increasing the count. In recent times, skipper Rohit Sharma has struggled with his form and will be motivated to play a match-winning inning for his team in the final game.

5) Ravindra Jadeja vs Steve Smith

Steve Smith is one of the greatest Test batsmen of his generation and he is a modern-day legend. One of the notable features of Smith’s batting style is his exaggerated and pronounced trigger movement before each delivery. He shuffles across the crease, moving both feet, and then quickly gets into position to play the ball. At the same time, Indian spin maestro, Ravindra Jadeja has been one of the most successful bowlers to get rid of Smith. He has picked up Smith’s wicket four times in the past. Jadeja has always come out as a challenging bowler to Australian batters in all the formats of the game.