Will India win their first ICC title since the Champions Trophy in 2013 ?

June 7, 2023 | Ishor Osti 4K Reads

Ishor Osti

A Mad Sports lover.

Ishor Osti

A Mad Sports lover.

The highly anticipated final of the ICC World Test Championship 2023 is set to take place on June 7 at The Oval Cricket Ground. Two cricketing giants, India and Australia, will lock horns in a battle to claim the prestigious title. Both teams have a rich cricketing history and a strong desire to add another trophy to their already illustrious cabinet.

World Test Championship 2023 Final: India vs Australia at The Oval

India, under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, will be determined to end their drought in ICC tournaments. Their last major victory came in 2013 when they clinched the Champions Trophy against England. Despite finishing as runners-up in the previous World Test Championship, India fell just short of capturing the title. This time, they are determined to go the distance and secure the elusive silverware.

On the other hand, Australia has experienced success in limited-overs cricket, winning both the ODI and T20 World Cups in the past eight years. However, their trophy cabinet lacks a World Test Championship title. Captained by Pat Cummins, the Australian team will be motivated to complete their collection of major cricketing honors.

The Oval Cricket Ground has witnessed some thrilling contests over the years, and the final promises to be no different. Let's take a closer look at the teams' recent performances and key statistics at this venue.

In their last five Test matches in England, India has had a mixed bag of results, with two wins, two losses, and a draw. Australia, too, has had a similar run of form, winning two, losing two, and drawing one of their last five Tests in England.

When it comes to head-to-head encounters at The Oval, Australia has a more extensive record, having played 38 games at the venue. They have emerged victorious in seven matches, suffered defeat in 17, and the remaining 11 ended in draws. On the other hand, India has played 14 games at The Oval, winning two, losing five, and drawing seven.

Analyzing the average totals in the last five Tests at The Oval, the first innings has seen teams scoring around 258 runs on average, while the second innings has witnessed an average of 228 runs. However, the third innings has seen a spike in scores, with teams posting an average of 340 runs. In the fourth innings, teams have managed an average of 240 runs, suggesting that chasing might be a challenging task.

Interestingly, in the last three County Championship matches held at The Oval, the team batting fourth emerged victorious in all three instances. This indicates that the pitch might favor the team chasing a target, adding an extra dimension to the contest.

Individual batting averages at The Oval highlight some key performers. For India, Rohit Sharma leads the way with an impressive average of 69.00, followed by Ravindra Jadeja at 42.00. However, Virat Kohli's average drops to 28.16, and Cheteshwar Pujara has an average of 19.50. Ajinkya Rahane has struggled at the venue, managing only 9.17. Rishabh Pant, known for his attacking style, boasts an impressive average of 44.50 at a striking rate of 73.65.

Among the Australian batsmen, Steven Smith stands out with an exceptional average of 97.50 at The Oval, followed by Marnus Labuschagne at 31.00. David Warner has a relatively modest average of 23.80.

Shifting the focus to bowling performances at The Oval, India's Ravi Ashwin has been outstanding, boasting an average of 24.00 and three wickets. Ravindra Jadeja has also been among the wickets, with an average of 31.27

The opinions presented here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily relfect the opinions of SportsGuff.