IND vs AUS WTC Final: Team News, Updated Squads, Match Timing, Pitch Report: The highly anticipated World Test Championship (WTC) final is set to take place at Kennington Oval in London from 7th to 11th June 2023. This ultimate clash will feature two of the most dominant teams in Test cricket—Australia (AUS) and India (IND)—promising an exhilarating contest for fans worldwide.
Currently holding the top spot in the Test rankings, India boasts a formidable batting lineup led by the likes of Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara.
Their prowess with the bat is complemented by an impressive bowling attack, featuring the talents of Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, and Ravindra Jadeja, all of whom possess the ability to take crucial wickets.
Notably, Pujara and Kohli have been instrumental in amassing significant runs for India throughout the WTC cycle. Ashwin, on the other hand, has emerged as India’s leading wicket-taker and ranks third overall in wickets taken during this cycle.
As the stage is set for the WTC final, fans can expect a captivating battle between these two powerhouses, with both teams leaving no stone unturned in their quest for Test cricket supremacy.
At the conclusion of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2021-23 cycle, both India (IND) and Australia (AUS) emerged as the top two teams.
After engaging in six test series against different opponents, Australia secured the coveted first place with an impressive win percentage of 66.67.
On the other hand, led by Rohit Sharma, India clinched the second spot with a commendable win percentage of 58.8, solidifying their position among the top teams in Test cricket.
As the highly anticipated IND vs AUS WTC Final approaches, several developments have unfolded in the build-up to the match.
These developments include team preparations, players’ form, injuries, and strategic planning, all of which contribute to the excitement and anticipation surrounding the clash.
The teams will leave no stone unturned in their pursuit of victory, making the final encounter a thrilling spectacle for fans around the globe.
IND vs AUS Match Details
Tournament: ICC WTC Final 2023
Match Details: IND vs AUS, Final
Day/Date: Wednesday, June 07- Sunday, June 11
Match Timing: 03:00 PM IST/09:30 AM GMT
Venue: Kennington Oval, London
IND vs AUS WTC Final: Team News
The Australian team, led by Pat Cummins, has encountered a setback in their preparations for the WTC Final against India due to the injury to experienced pacer Josh Hazlewood.
Hazlewood had been working against time to recover from side soreness that he suffered during the IPL in order to be fit for the IND vs AUS WTC Final at Kennington Oval.
Initially, Cricket Australia (CA) had deemed Hazlewood fit for the summit clash against India. However, the pacer ultimately succumbed to his injury and lost the race against time, ruling him out of the ICC WTC Final.
Despite his absence from the WTC Final, Hazlewood continues to remain an integral part of Australia’s plans, especially for the upcoming Ashes series in 2023. He is expected to be included in Australia’s squad for the first two tests against England.
In the wake of the uncertainty surrounding Josh Hazlewood’s participation, Michael Neser and Sean Abbott have been called up to the Australian squad.
This decision has been made to address the potential gap left by Hazlewood’s absence and to ensure the team’s depth and readiness for the crucial matches ahead.
Rohit Sharma will captain the Indian team as they aim to surpass the record for the most Test wins against Australia by an Indian skipper, currently held by Ajinkya Rahane and Sourav Ganguly.
Rohit Sharma will be eager to guide his team to victory and etch his name in Indian crickethistory.
Update:
Indian Captain Rohit Sharma injured on the hand while batting during the practice session ahead of #WTCFinal #WTCFinal2023 #INDvsAUS #RohitSharma pic.twitter.com/uKM9ChrDZS
— MLC 2023 Live (@ipl2024live) June 6, 2023
On the other hand, the Australian team will be led by Pat Cummins, who will be seeking to avenge the loss of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to India in their previous series.
Cummins will lead his team with determination and motivation, aiming to reclaim the trophy and make a strong statement against the Indian side.
The clash between these two formidable teams, led by Rohit Sharma and Pat Cummins respectively, adds an extra layer of intrigue to the WTC Final.
Both captains will play crucial roles in strategizing, motivating their teams, and making tactical decisions throughout the match, making it an exciting battle of leadership on the field.
IND vs AUS WTC Final Day 1: Win-loss ratio
The Oval has witnessed closely contested matches between Australia and India, with both teams having similar win-loss ratios at this venue.
Australia has won seven matches and faced defeat in 17 out of the 38 Test matches played at The Oval, resulting in a win-loss ratio of 0.411.
Similarly, India has won two matches and lost five out of their 14 Test encounters at The Oval, giving them a win-loss ratio of 0.400.
These statistics highlight the competitive nature of the matches played between the two teams at this historic venue.
With such closely matched win-loss ratios, it adds further anticipation to the upcoming clash between Australia and India at The Oval, as both teams look to improve their records and claim victory in the WTC Final.
IND vs AUS WTC Final: Updated Squads
IND Squad: Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, KS Bharat (wk), Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Shami, Axar Patel, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohd. Siraj, Ishan Kishan (wk)
Standby players: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar, Suryakumar Yadav
AUS Squad: Pat Cummins (c), Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Scott Boland, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Marcus Harris, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, Todd Murphy, David Warner, Michael Neser.
Standby players: Mitch Marsh, Matthew Renshaw
IND vs AUS: Pitch Report
The Oval has been known to provide a favorable batting surface with a fast outfield. Batsmen have relished playing on this venue due to the conducive conditions it offers.
Additionally, seam bowlers can extract swing during the early stages of the innings, and the swing can persist if the overhead conditions are favorable.
According to reports, the curators at The Oval are preparing a pitch that is expected to last for the full five days of the match. This suggests that batsmen can anticipate a favorable playing surface, potentially
offering good run-scoring opportunities.
Live Streaming and Telecast Details
IND vs AUS WTC Final will stream on different platforms. The telecast of the fixture can be seen on Star Sports Network. Meanwhile, Disney+ Hotstar will live stream the game.