<p>India locked horns with Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final and lost by 209 runs at The Oval, London earlier this month. With another failure in an ICC event, India's trophyless run continues in mega tournaments since 2013. Ever since Rohit Sharma took over the captaincy from Virat Kohli, he was expected to take the national side to some big wins in ICC events. But India have failed twice under his leadership. In the 2022 T20 World Cup, India were hammered by eventual winners England by ten wickets and now lost to Australia in the WTC finale.</p>

<p>India's ICC title drought continues since 2013 when they won the ICC Champions Trophy under MS Dhoni. Thus, a lot of questions are now being raised about Rohit's captaincy. He has a herculean task ahead as Hitman not only needs to win the next ICC tournament, i.e. the 2023 ODI World Cup at home later this year&nbsp;but find an able successor for a smooth transition. While many are calling for his removal as captain, especially in whites, former Australian skipper Michael Clarke has backed him.</p>

<h2><strong>'I think he is a very good captain. I like his aggressive approach'</strong></h2>

<p>Speaking to&nbsp;<i>RevSportz</i>&nbsp;after India's&nbsp;WTC final loss,&nbsp;Clarke stated, "I would be keeping the faith with Rohit. I think he is a very good captain. I like his aggressive approach, he looks to be as positive as he can be. He has had a lot of success as a leader. Look at his IPL record for Mumbai (Indians). Just because India didn’t win the Test World Championship doesn’t mean Rohit is not the right guy to lead India. The fact that India qualified again, they are the only team to make consecutive finals, says a lot about how they have played their Test cricket over the past four years. It is also a very important time for stability with the One-Day World Cup right around the corner."</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-need-closure-r-ashwin-reflects-on-his-tweet-after-indias-big-loss-in-wtc-final-vs-australia-606352">'I need closure': R Ashwin reflects on his tweet after India's big loss in WTC final vs Australia</a></strong></p>

<p>Clarke added, "He has done well as a batter as well. Think of his hundred in the last series. Losing a one-off final doesn't make him a bad captain and nor does it make India a bad team. To make consecutive finals isn't easy. What it means is that India was the only team to play consistently well over a period of four years. To do so in Test cricket is commendable and I would urge you to look at that as well before making any kind of judgment call."</p>

<p>Team India have a lot on their plate going forward. They need to start the 2023-25 WTC cycle on a positive note, start looking at the future, groom young leaders and aim to end their ICC title drought later this year with the ODI WC to be held at home. Will Rohit deliver as captain? Only time will tell...</p>

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India locked horns with Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final and lost by 209 runs at The Oval, London earlier this month. With another failure in an ICC event, India's trophyless run continues in mega tournaments since 2013.

India locked horns with Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final and lost by 209 runs at The Oval, London earlier this month. With another failure in an ICC event, India's trophyless run continues in mega tournaments since 2013. Ever since Rohit Sharma took over the captaincy from Virat Kohli, he was expected to take the national side to some big wins in ICC events. But India have failed twice under his leadership. In the 2022 T20 World Cup, India were hammered by eventual winners England by ten wickets and now lost to Australia in the WTC finale. India's ICC title drought continues since 2013 when they won the ICC Champions Trophy under MS Dhoni. Thus, a lot of questions are now being raised about Rohit's captaincy. He has a herculean task ahead as Hitman not only needs to win the next ICC tournament, i.e. the 2023 ODI World Cup at home later this year but find an able successor for a smooth transition. While many are calling for his removal as captain, especially in whites, former Australian skipper Michael Clarke has backed him. 'I think he is a very good captain. I like his aggressive approach' Speaking to RevSportz after India's WTC final loss, Clarke stated, "I would be keeping the faith with Rohit. I think he is a very good captain. I like his aggressive approach, he looks to be as positive as he can be. He has had a lot of success as a leader. Look at his IPL record for Mumbai (Indians). Just because India didn’t win the Test World Championship doesn’t mean Rohit is not the right guy to lead India. The fact that India qualified again, they are the only team to make consecutive finals, says a lot about how they have played their Test cricket over the past four years. It is also a very important time for stability with the One-Day World Cup right around the corner." Also Read: 'I need closure': R Ashwin reflects on his tweet after India's big loss in WTC final vs Australia Clarke added, "He has done well as a batter as well. Think of his hundred in the last series. Losing a one-off final doesn't make him a bad captain and nor does it make India a bad team. To make consecutive finals isn't easy. What it means is that India was the only team to play consistently well over a period of four years. To do so in Test cricket is commendable and I would urge you to look at that as well before making any kind of judgment call." Team India have a lot on their plate going forward. They need to start the 2023-25 WTC cycle on a positive note, start looking at the future, groom young leaders and aim to end their ICC title drought later this year with the ODI WC to be held at home. Will Rohit deliver as captain? Only time will tell... WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

'Just because they didn’t win WTC final...': Former Aussie skipper backs Rohit Sharma to remain India captain

<p>Dilip Vengsarkar, India's 1983 World Cup-winning member and former BCCI chief selector, has slammed the board and its selection committee for lack of vision and cricketing sense. Vengsarkar believes India have failed to identify and groom a young skipper who can take over from Rohit Sharma. The former Indian batter has lashed out at the BCCI and past selectors for making Shikhar Dhawan the stand-in captain when tours overlapped for Team India in the past two years.</p>

<p>In 2021-22, there have been plenty of instances when Dhawan led the Men in Blue in white-ball formats with many senior players rested or involved in red-ball assignments. Thus, Vengsarkar has slammed BCCI and the selection committee for not backing a youngster to lead the charge. In addition, he raised questions about India's bench&nbsp;strength.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/r-ashwin-opens-up-on-being-denied-india-test-captaincy-after-wtc-final-snub-606066">R Ashwin opens up on being denied India Test captaincy after WTC final snub</a></strong></p>

<h2><strong>'They made Shikhar Dhawan India captain'</strong></h2>

<p>Vengsarkar told Hindustan Times, "The unfortunate part is that the selectors I have seen over the last six-seven years neither have the vision, deep knowledge about the game or cricketing sense. They made Shikhar Dhawan India captain (when tours overlapped and the core players were&nbsp;not available); it is where you can groom the future captain."</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-100-certain-rohit-sharma-will-remain-test-captain-says-former-indian-openers-after-wtc-final-debacle-606047">Not 100% certain Rohit Sharma will remain Test captain, says former Indian opener after WTC final debacle</a></strong></p>

<p>He added, "You talk about the richest cricket board in the world, where is the bench strength? Just having IPL, earning crores of rupees in media rights, it should not be the only achievement."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Vengsarkar is among the many former Indian players who are not happy with the current operations in Indian cricket. Rohit-led India were recently seen in action in the WTC final where they lost to Australia by 209 runs as their ICC title drought continues since 2013. They will next be seen in action in their upcoming all-format tour of the West Indies starting next month.</p>

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Dilip Vengsarkar, India's 1983 World Cup-winning member and former BCCI chief selector, has slammed the board and its selection committee for lack of vision and cricketing sense.

Dilip Vengsarkar, India's 1983 World Cup-winning member and former BCCI chief selector, has slammed the board and its selection committee for lack of vision and cricketing sense. Vengsarkar believes India have failed to identify and groom a young skipper who can take over from Rohit Sharma. The former Indian batter has lashed out at the BCCI and past selectors for making Shikhar Dhawan the stand-in captain when tours overlapped for Team India in the past two years. In 2021-22, there have been plenty of instances when Dhawan led the Men in Blue in white-ball formats with many senior players rested or involved in red-ball assignments. Thus, Vengsarkar has slammed BCCI and the selection committee for not backing a youngster to lead the charge. In addition, he raised questions about India's bench strength. Also Read: R Ashwin opens up on being denied India Test captaincy after WTC final snub 'They made Shikhar Dhawan India captain' Vengsarkar told Hindustan Times, "The unfortunate part is that the selectors I have seen over the last six-seven years neither have the vision, deep knowledge about the game or cricketing sense. They made Shikhar Dhawan India captain (when tours overlapped and the core players were not available); it is where you can groom the future captain." Also Read: Not 100% certain Rohit Sharma will remain Test captain, says former Indian opener after WTC final debacle He added, "You talk about the richest cricket board in the world, where is the bench strength? Just having IPL, earning crores of rupees in media rights, it should not be the only achievement." Vengsarkar is among the many former Indian players who are not happy with the current operations in Indian cricket. Rohit-led India were recently seen in action in the WTC final where they lost to Australia by 209 runs as their ICC title drought continues since 2013. They will next be seen in action in their upcoming all-format tour of the West Indies starting next month. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

1983 World Cup winner lashes out at BCCI, past selectors for not finding Rohit Sharma's successor

<p>After India's ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final loss to Australia early this month, questions were raised on Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid-led Indian think tank. Skipper Rohit and head coach Dravid were criticised for their decision to drop R Ashwin from the playing XI as India once again faltered in a big chance to lift a mega title and end their ten-year-long ICC trophy drought.</p>

<p>As India are set to kick off their campaign in the current WTC 2023-25 cycle, former Indian opener Aakash Chopra made a big claim on Rohit. Chopra is not 100 per cent confident that Rohit will continue as the Test captain in this WTC cycle.</p>

<p>"Rohit Sharma is a good captain. That is out of the question, understands the pulse of the game, doesn’t make common mistakes. He’s very decent. The question is not about Rohit Sharma’s captaincy. It’s about playing XI (for the WTC final). The next question is on the type of pitches they play at home. See, all these decisions are taken by the team management. I am sure Rohit Sharma would’ve been part of the think tank when Virat Kohli was the captain. Now Kohli will also be part of that group too. However, the responsibility lies with the one who goes for the toss. The focus now is on Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid like it was before on Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri. This is the sad reality," Chopra said&nbsp;on his YouTube video.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-charges-around-1-million-per-instagram-post-net-worth-of-approximate-126-million-report-605954">Virat Kohli charges around $1 million per Instagram post, net worth approximately $126mn: Report</a></strong></p>

<h2><strong>'I am not 100% certain because you have...'</strong></h2>

<p>Chopra further opined, "Rohit is a good captain, there is no doubt about that. Rohit is a good Test batter, there is no doubt about that as well, but will the future remain like this only - I am not 100% certain because you have reached the final in the last two cycles but haven't won even once, and age is not on his side, this is the reality. When you see the next two years, and another WTC cycle - 2025, Rohit Sharma could still be playing Test cricket if he really wants to play Test cricket. Six series is a lot of time."</p>

<p>"Can the selectors, by the end of 2023, when you come back from South Africa, start thinking about the next WTC final? One year will remain. There will be five Test matches against England. Then you have to go to Australia, so should they look for a change? This is going to be an interesting one," the ex-Indian batter&nbsp;added.</p>

<p>In the WTC 2023-25 cycle, India will tour West Indies, Australia, and South Africa whereas they will host England, New Zealand, and Bangladesh. After ending second in the previous two WTC cycles, they will aim to win the title this time around.&nbsp;</p>

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After India's ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final loss to Australia early this month, questions were raised on Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid-led Indian think tank.

After India's ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final loss to Australia early this month, questions were raised on Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid-led Indian think tank. Skipper Rohit and head coach Dravid were criticised for their decision to drop R Ashwin from the playing XI as India once again faltered in a big chance to lift a mega title and end their ten-year-long ICC trophy drought. As India are set to kick off their campaign in the current WTC 2023-25 cycle, former Indian opener Aakash Chopra made a big claim on Rohit. Chopra is not 100 per cent confident that Rohit will continue as the Test captain in this WTC cycle. "Rohit Sharma is a good captain. That is out of the question, understands the pulse of the game, doesn’t make common mistakes. He’s very decent. The question is not about Rohit Sharma’s captaincy. It’s about playing XI (for the WTC final). The next question is on the type of pitches they play at home. See, all these decisions are taken by the team management. I am sure Rohit Sharma would’ve been part of the think tank when Virat Kohli was the captain. Now Kohli will also be part of that group too. However, the responsibility lies with the one who goes for the toss. The focus now is on Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid like it was before on Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri. This is the sad reality," Chopra said on his YouTube video. Also Read: Virat Kohli charges around $1 million per Instagram post, net worth approximately $126mn: Report 'I am not 100% certain because you have...' Chopra further opined, "Rohit is a good captain, there is no doubt about that. Rohit is a good Test batter, there is no doubt about that as well, but will the future remain like this only - I am not 100% certain because you have reached the final in the last two cycles but haven't won even once, and age is not on his side, this is the reality. When you see the next two years, and another WTC cycle - 2025, Rohit Sharma could still be playing Test cricket if he really wants to play Test cricket. Six series is a lot of time." "Can the selectors, by the end of 2023, when you come back from South Africa, start thinking about the next WTC final? One year will remain. There will be five Test matches against England. Then you have to go to Australia, so should they look for a change? This is going to be an interesting one," the ex-Indian batter added. In the WTC 2023-25 cycle, India will tour West Indies, Australia, and South Africa whereas they will host England, New Zealand, and Bangladesh. After ending second in the previous two WTC cycles, they will aim to win the title this time around. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Not 100% certain Rohit Sharma will remain Test captain, says former Indian opener after WTC final debacle

<p>India captain Rohit Sharma might be the newest addition to the list of players who could be rested for 'some part' of the upcoming West Indies tour, per the latest reports. India will tour the Caribbean Islands for two Tests, three ODIs and five T20Is, starting July 12 - the schedule of which was announced last week.</p>

<p>Having played regular cricket since February this year, including the Border-Gavaskar series, the IPL 2023 and then the World Test Championship Final, Rohit has looked worn out, and selectors seem to take note of this. As reported by the Times of India (TOI), the selectors will sit together to pick the squad for the West Indies series on June 27.</p>

<p>Other than hitting an impressive hundred in the first innings of the Nagpur Test against Australia, Rohit didn't contribute much with the bat in outings after that. For Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2023, he was mediocre, scoring just 332 runs from 16 games averaging 20.75. Though his team somehow reached the playoffs, Rohit's poor form got everyone worried, considering the WTC Final 2023.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/trent-boults-flexi-contract-with-nzc-will-open-a-can-of-worms-feels-ex-coach-mike-hesson-605061">Trent Boult's 'flexi' contract with NZC will open a 'can of worms', feels ex-coach Mike Hesson</a></p>

<p>Even in the all-important one-off clash against the Aussies, Rohit scored 15 and 43 in two innings.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“Rohit looked a bit jaded during the IPL and the World Test Championship final in England. The selectors want him to rest for some part of the West Indies tour. He’s likely to miss the Tests or the eight-match white-ball series (three ODIs and five T20Is) to follow. The selectors will speak to Rohit and then take a decision,” a source close to developments told TOI.</p>

<h2>Who will captain if Rohit is rested?</h2>

<p>In case the selectors decide to rest Rohit for the two-match Tests, Ajinkya Rahane, who enjoyed his return to the red-ball setup with a brilliant 89 and 46 against Australia, could be asked to be the stand-in captain.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Besides Rohit, either Mohammed Siraj or Mohammed Shami could also be rested for the Test series.</p>

<p>Earlier reports suggested the board is looking to replace Cheteshwar Pujara with the young Yashasvi Jaiswal, while Mukesh Kumar could come in place of experienced Umesh Yadav.&nbsp;</p>

<p>If Rohit gets rested for the Tests and selectors also decide to hand Virat Kohli extra time off, Pujara could retain his place in the team.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Moreover, Hardik Pandya is expected to lead the new-looking T20I side with the inclusion of uncapped players like Jaiswal and Rinku Singh.</p>

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India captain Rohit Sharma might be the newest addition to the list of players who could be rested for 'some part' of the upcoming West Indies tour, per the latest reports.

India captain Rohit Sharma might be the newest addition to the list of players who could be rested for 'some part' of the upcoming West Indies tour, per the latest reports. India will tour the Caribbean Islands for two Tests, three ODIs and five T20Is, starting July 12 - the schedule of which was announced last week. Having played regular cricket since February this year, including the Border-Gavaskar series, the IPL 2023 and then the World Test Championship Final, Rohit has looked worn out, and selectors seem to take note of this. As reported by the Times of India (TOI), the selectors will sit together to pick the squad for the West Indies series on June 27. Other than hitting an impressive hundred in the first innings of the Nagpur Test against Australia, Rohit didn't contribute much with the bat in outings after that. For Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2023, he was mediocre, scoring just 332 runs from 16 games averaging 20.75. Though his team somehow reached the playoffs, Rohit's poor form got everyone worried, considering the WTC Final 2023. ALSO READ: Trent Boult's 'flexi' contract with NZC will open a 'can of worms', feels ex-coach Mike Hesson Even in the all-important one-off clash against the Aussies, Rohit scored 15 and 43 in two innings. “Rohit looked a bit jaded during the IPL and the World Test Championship final in England. The selectors want him to rest for some part of the West Indies tour. He’s likely to miss the Tests or the eight-match white-ball series (three ODIs and five T20Is) to follow. The selectors will speak to Rohit and then take a decision,” a source close to developments told TOI. Who will captain if Rohit is rested? In case the selectors decide to rest Rohit for the two-match Tests, Ajinkya Rahane, who enjoyed his return to the red-ball setup with a brilliant 89 and 46 against Australia, could be asked to be the stand-in captain. Besides Rohit, either Mohammed Siraj or Mohammed Shami could also be rested for the Test series. Earlier reports suggested the board is looking to replace Cheteshwar Pujara with the young Yashasvi Jaiswal, while Mukesh Kumar could come in place of experienced Umesh Yadav. If Rohit gets rested for the Tests and selectors also decide to hand Virat Kohli extra time off, Pujara could retain his place in the team. Moreover, Hardik Pandya is expected to lead the new-looking T20I side with the inclusion of uncapped players like Jaiswal and Rinku Singh. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

WI vs IND 2023: Selectors ponder over resting 'worn-out' Rohit Sharma for few matches - Reports

<p>Former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar has come down hard on the Indian cricket team following its 209-run loss in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final against Australia. Gavaskar, after the match, criticised senior players like Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara for getting out on cheap shots.</p>

<p>"I have been in the teams where we have been knocked out at 42 and we had been miserable in the change rooms. We were also criticized heavily. So, I think you cannot say that the current lot is not beyond criticism. They have to be very analytical about what happened, how they get out, why didn't they bowl well, why didn't they catch, was the selection of the Playing XI was the right thing, so all these factors have to come in," said Gavaskar in a chat on Star Sports.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/selectors-may-take-decision-on-rohits-captaincy-later-this-year-report-604215">Selectors may take decision on Rohit's captaincy later this year - Report</a></p>

<p>India's next assignment is against West Indies where they are slated to play two Test, three ODIs and five T20Is. Gavaskar, however, isn't bothered about that much and said that the upcoming tour can't be the excuse to brush WTC Final loss under the carpet.</p>

<p>"You cannot brush this under the carpet like 'yeah we have got two matches against West Indies'. West Indies are not the best team in the world. You just go and hammer them 2-0, 3-0, whatever the matches are. This doesn't mean anything because when you come across and if you go to the finals and if you are playing Australia again, making the same mistakes, then how would you win the trophy?" he added.</p>

<p>Notably, Rohit's decision to drop number one Test-ranked bowler Ravi Ashwin also met with a lot of criticism by fans and cricket experts alike, including from Sachin Tendulkar. The skipper, however, had said at the toss on day 1 of the final that it was hard to drop the ace spinner but the decision was needed for the team.</p>

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Former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar has come down hard on the Indian cricket team following its 209-run loss in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final against Australia.

Former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar has come down hard on the Indian cricket team following its 209-run loss in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final against Australia. Gavaskar, after the match, criticised senior players like Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara for getting out on cheap shots. "I have been in the teams where we have been knocked out at 42 and we had been miserable in the change rooms. We were also criticized heavily. So, I think you cannot say that the current lot is not beyond criticism. They have to be very analytical about what happened, how they get out, why didn't they bowl well, why didn't they catch, was the selection of the Playing XI was the right thing, so all these factors have to come in," said Gavaskar in a chat on Star Sports. Also Read: Selectors may take decision on Rohit's captaincy later this year - Report India's next assignment is against West Indies where they are slated to play two Test, three ODIs and five T20Is. Gavaskar, however, isn't bothered about that much and said that the upcoming tour can't be the excuse to brush WTC Final loss under the carpet. "You cannot brush this under the carpet like 'yeah we have got two matches against West Indies'. West Indies are not the best team in the world. You just go and hammer them 2-0, 3-0, whatever the matches are. This doesn't mean anything because when you come across and if you go to the finals and if you are playing Australia again, making the same mistakes, then how would you win the trophy?" he added. Notably, Rohit's decision to drop number one Test-ranked bowler Ravi Ashwin also met with a lot of criticism by fans and cricket experts alike, including from Sachin Tendulkar. The skipper, however, had said at the toss on day 1 of the final that it was hard to drop the ace spinner but the decision was needed for the team. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Sunil Gavaskar says India beating West Indies 2-0 on upcoming tour won't 'mean anything' after WTC Final loss

<p>Skipper Rohit Sharma is under pressure after India's recent loss against Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final by 209 runs. This was India's second consecutive loss in the WTC Final after losing the first final against New Zealand in 2021 under Virat Kohli.</p>

<p>India will now travel to West Indies for a full tour which will comprise two Tests, three ODIs and five T20Is. The 36-year-old is set to lead India on the tour but will he go on to lead India throughout the current WTC Cycle of 2023-25 remains to be seen. According a report by the news agency PTI, the selectors may take a call on Rohit's captaincy after the two Tests against West Indies. The report, citing a source, however, said that Rohit isn't going to be removed from captaincy immediately.</p>

<p>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ashes-2023-moeen-ali-reveals-who-made-him-come-out-of-test-retirement-604190">Ashes 2023: Moeen Ali reveals who made him come out of Test retirement</a></p>

<p>"These are baseless stuff that Rohit will be removed from captaincy. Yes, whether he will last the whole two-year WTC cycle is a big question as he would be nearly 38 when the third edition ends in 2025," a senior BCCI source told PTI on condition of anonymity. "As of now, I believe that Shiv Sunder Das and his colleagues will have to take a call after the two Tests and looking at his batting form."</p>

<p>"After West Indies, we have no Tests till December-end when the team travels to South Africa. So there is enough time for selectors to deliberate and take a decision. By then the fifth selector (new chairman) will also join the panel and a decision can be taken," the source added.</p>

<p>After taking on the captaincy, Rohit has led India in seven Tests and missed three - one in England due to COVID-19 and two against Bangladesh due to split webbing. Rohit has scored 390 runs in those seven matches at an average of 35.45 with his 120 against Australia in Nagpur Test of the Border-Gavaskar series being the highlight.</p>

<p>The source also told PTI that Rohit wasn't keen on taking the Test captaincy but erstwhile president Sourav Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah convinced him to do so.</p>

<p>"The two top men at that time (former president Sourav Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah) had to convince him to take up the role once KL Rahul failed to impress as a captain in South Africa," the source said.</p>

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Skipper Rohit Sharma is under pressure after India's recent loss against Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final by 209 runs. This was India's second consecutive loss in the WTC Final after losing the first final against New Zealand in 2021 under Virat Kohli.

Skipper Rohit Sharma is under pressure after India's recent loss against Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final by 209 runs. This was India's second consecutive loss in the WTC Final after losing the first final against New Zealand in 2021 under Virat Kohli. India will now travel to West Indies for a full tour which will comprise two Tests, three ODIs and five T20Is. The 36-year-old is set to lead India on the tour but will he go on to lead India throughout the current WTC Cycle of 2023-25 remains to be seen. According a report by the news agency PTI, the selectors may take a call on Rohit's captaincy after the two Tests against West Indies. The report, citing a source, however, said that Rohit isn't going to be removed from captaincy immediately. Also Read: Ashes 2023: Moeen Ali reveals who made him come out of Test retirement "These are baseless stuff that Rohit will be removed from captaincy. Yes, whether he will last the whole two-year WTC cycle is a big question as he would be nearly 38 when the third edition ends in 2025," a senior BCCI source told PTI on condition of anonymity. "As of now, I believe that Shiv Sunder Das and his colleagues will have to take a call after the two Tests and looking at his batting form." "After West Indies, we have no Tests till December-end when the team travels to South Africa. So there is enough time for selectors to deliberate and take a decision. By then the fifth selector (new chairman) will also join the panel and a decision can be taken," the source added. After taking on the captaincy, Rohit has led India in seven Tests and missed three - one in England due to COVID-19 and two against Bangladesh due to split webbing. Rohit has scored 390 runs in those seven matches at an average of 35.45 with his 120 against Australia in Nagpur Test of the Border-Gavaskar series being the highlight. The source also told PTI that Rohit wasn't keen on taking the Test captaincy but erstwhile president Sourav Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah convinced him to do so. "The two top men at that time (former president Sourav Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah) had to convince him to take up the role once KL Rahul failed to impress as a captain in South Africa," the source said. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Selectors may take decision on Rohit's captaincy later this year - Report

<p>Is it the right time to address the elephant in the room? Or shall we wait for another lost opportunity at an ICC tournament to start talking about it?</p>

<p>Since last winning an ICC trophy in 2013 - at a time when Facebook had seen its peak, Twitter was emerging to become a social media giant, and Instagram was probably in the earlier stages of being launched, the Indian team failed to bring home any major accolades.</p>

<p>So, where is the problem? It’s not that they are missing&nbsp;world-class players or lack&nbsp;infrastructure, or don't have a setup where youngsters thrive to succeed. Is it luck? Could be, but not entirely! So where does one find an answer to this?</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/you-dont-say-this-in-ipl-gavaskar-slams-rohit-sharma-for-his-latest-remarks-on-wtc-final-format-603529">'You don't say this in IPL...': Gavaskar slams Rohit Sharma for his latest remarks on WTC Final format</a></p>

<p>Maybe it's in front of everyone's eyes, and the Indian cricket fans are happy living in denial. Can happen! The big question here arises what’s stopping the Indian Men’s Team from winning an ICC trophy?</p>

<p>Having lately lost the second straight World Test Championship (WTC) Final, this time to Australia by a massive margin of 209 runs, the Indian players, let alone the fans, looked disappointed with the result and seemed eager to find solutions. With India all set to host the 50-over World Cup later this year, they would want to tick most of the boxes to avoid suffering the same fate as they did during the previous editions.</p>

<h2>Is the way how Test Cricket unfolds in India a problem?</h2>

<p>Maybe no one’s ready for this discussion.</p>

<p>How does wrapping up Test matches in India inside two, three or on the least doctored track, four days, help players across all departments, other than spinners, in any way? Honestly, they are not!</p>

<p>Providing tracks that turn from day one will neither help the batters gain any momentum nor will it see fast bowlers succeeding in Tests in this part of the world. Leave aside the touring sides, it’s a rarity to see more than two Indian pacers taking the field in any Test in these conditions – even considering the venues where they would get some assistance from the pitch.</p>

<p>Now, with spinners taking control of the game from the ball, thus dictating how things will pan out throughout the series, it doesn’t really help the team in the longer run.</p>

<p>India might, and well, have been doing this for the past ten years, to win all those Tests at home, and some even by daunting margins. But the truth is that&nbsp;such tactics are not helping other departments to get better in any way.</p>

<p>It’s understandable, for obvious reasons, why host teams tend to use the home advantage in their favour – which is to win matches and gain a lead on the points table of the WTC Cycle.&nbsp;But what’s the use of that if the same bunch of players were to suffer the old, monotonous fate of falling shy of winning the trophy outside of their home conditions?</p>

<p>India’s past two results in the WTC Finals are prime examples of that.</p>

<p>With the batters failing to score in home conditions, and for countless reasons, not being able to go outside of their bubble and train or play in different domestic leagues, in the County Championships in the UK, for example, their inability to adapt to the new conditions get exposed on the D-day.</p>

<h2>Is high-headedness killing, or has&nbsp;already killed Indian cricket?</h2>

<p>India doesn't have big-name players in the country, India has demigods - be it the great Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil Dev, MS Dhoni and so on. With the amount of love they get from the fans, they are no less than supreme powers on the field in their head, and it has had its adverse effects.</p>

<p>Though a few of the big names in the India line-up have contributed immensely throughout their career, their stubbornness not to learn from their mistakes has shockingly cost India World Cups at a stretch. What’s worse, they keep getting away every single time.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indias-tour-of-west-indies-2023-cwi-announce-full-schedule-jaiswal-mukesh-kumar-in-line-for-test-call-ups-603590">India’s tour of West Indies 2023: CWI announce full schedule, Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar in line for Test call-ups</a></p>

<p>The least discussed or untouched, like some taboo, in this country, the egos are now starting to take centre stage. Sure, it’s all part of the game and must have been around for hundreds of years now, but this thing has had its impact on the team environment and subsequently on the results.</p>

<h2>Can India revive?</h2>

<p>They must before it gets too late.</p>

<p>In a few months, the World Cup starts, and this is India’s best chance at glory, having last won in Asia 12 years back.</p>

<p>Sticking around as a team, working on the weaknesses, and deliberately putting in hard yards to prepare for the worst situation can only help India get ready for the biggest winter extravaganza this year.</p>

<p>Before the World Cup gets underway, India will get involved in another multi-team tournament - the Asia Cup 2023, and winning that would boost the side's chances of ending the trophy drought in the home WC.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

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Is it the right time to address the elephant in the room? Or shall we wait for another lost opportunity at an ICC tournament to start talking about it? Since last winning an ICC trophy in 2013 - at a time when Facebook had seen its peak, Twitter was emerging to become a social media giant, and Instagram was probably in the earlier stages of being launched, the Indian team failed to bring home any major accolades.

Is it the right time to address the elephant in the room? Or shall we wait for another lost opportunity at an ICC tournament to start talking about it? Since last winning an ICC trophy in 2013 - at a time when Facebook had seen its peak, Twitter was emerging to become a social media giant, and Instagram was probably in the earlier stages of being launched, the Indian team failed to bring home any major accolades. So, where is the problem? It’s not that they are missing world-class players or lack infrastructure, or don't have a setup where youngsters thrive to succeed. Is it luck? Could be, but not entirely! So where does one find an answer to this? ALSO READ: 'You don't say this in IPL...': Gavaskar slams Rohit Sharma for his latest remarks on WTC Final format Maybe it's in front of everyone's eyes, and the Indian cricket fans are happy living in denial. Can happen! The big question here arises what’s stopping the Indian Men’s Team from winning an ICC trophy? Having lately lost the second straight World Test Championship (WTC) Final, this time to Australia by a massive margin of 209 runs, the Indian players, let alone the fans, looked disappointed with the result and seemed eager to find solutions. With India all set to host the 50-over World Cup later this year, they would want to tick most of the boxes to avoid suffering the same fate as they did during the previous editions. Is the way how Test Cricket unfolds in India a problem? Maybe no one’s ready for this discussion. How does wrapping up Test matches in India inside two, three or on the least doctored track, four days, help players across all departments, other than spinners, in any way? Honestly, they are not! Providing tracks that turn from day one will neither help the batters gain any momentum nor will it see fast bowlers succeeding in Tests in this part of the world. Leave aside the touring sides, it’s a rarity to see more than two Indian pacers taking the field in any Test in these conditions – even considering the venues where they would get some assistance from the pitch. Now, with spinners taking control of the game from the ball, thus dictating how things will pan out throughout the series, it doesn’t really help the team in the longer run. India might, and well, have been doing this for the past ten years, to win all those Tests at home, and some even by daunting margins. But the truth is that such tactics are not helping other departments to get better in any way. It’s understandable, for obvious reasons, why host teams tend to use the home advantage in their favour – which is to win matches and gain a lead on the points table of the WTC Cycle. But what’s the use of that if the same bunch of players were to suffer the old, monotonous fate of falling shy of winning the trophy outside of their home conditions? India’s past two results in the WTC Finals are prime examples of that. With the batters failing to score in home conditions, and for countless reasons, not being able to go outside of their bubble and train or play in different domestic leagues, in the County Championships in the UK, for example, their inability to adapt to the new conditions get exposed on the D-day. Is high-headedness killing, or has already killed Indian cricket? India doesn't have big-name players in the country, India has demigods - be it the great Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil Dev, MS Dhoni and so on. With the amount of love they get from the fans, they are no less than supreme powers on the field in their head, and it has had its adverse effects. Though a few of the big names in the India line-up have contributed immensely throughout their career, their stubbornness not to learn from their mistakes has shockingly cost India World Cups at a stretch. What’s worse, they keep getting away every single time. ALSO READ: India’s tour of West Indies 2023: CWI announce full schedule, Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar in line for Test call-ups The least discussed or untouched, like some taboo, in this country, the egos are now starting to take centre stage. Sure, it’s all part of the game and must have been around for hundreds of years now, but this thing has had its impact on the team environment and subsequently on the results. Can India revive? They must before it gets too late. In a few months, the World Cup starts, and this is India’s best chance at glory, having last won in Asia 12 years back. Sticking around as a team, working on the weaknesses, and deliberately putting in hard yards to prepare for the worst situation can only help India get ready for the biggest winter extravaganza this year. Before the World Cup gets underway, India will get involved in another multi-team tournament - the Asia Cup 2023, and winning that would boost the side's chances of ending the trophy drought in the home WC. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

EXPLAINED - What's stopping India from winning ICC trophies? Lack of temperament, poor luck or something else?

<p>Former India captain and BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has expressed his surprise at Virat Kohli's unexpected decision to relinquish his role as the captain of the Indian Test cricket team. Ganguly revealed that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was not prepared for Kohli's departure, as it was his personal choice to step down following the South Africa series in 2022.</p>

<p>Fans have been actively campaigning for Kohli's reinstatement as the Test captain, highlighting his remarkable record as captain on social media. During his tenure, Kohli secured the fourth-highest number of victories for an Indian Test captain, with an impressive 40 wins and 11 draws in 68 matches. His win percentage of 50% places him third among all 28 Test captains who have led their teams in 40 or more matches.</p>

<p>In an exclusive interview with Indian news channel Aaj Tak, Ganguly acknowledged the fans' support for Kohli but emphasised that only Kohli himself could provide the reasons behind his decision to step down. Ganguly stated that dwelling on the matter now serves no purpose as the selectors had to appoint a new captain, and Rohit Sharma was deemed the best option at that time.</p>

<p>"BCCI was not prepared for Virat Kohli leaving the Test captaincy. It was unexpected for us also after the South Africa tour. Only Virat Kohli can reveal why he left the captaincy. There is no point talking about this now because Virat Kohli left the Test captaincy. Selectors had to appoint an India captain. And Rohit was the best option at that time," Ganguly said.</p>

<p>However, Kohli had said something in a completely different note. The RCB Captain had said, “There was no prior communication to me at all from when I announced the T20I captaincy decision until the eighth (of December) where, as I said, I got a call one-and-a-half hours before the selection meeting," hinting at a clear rift between him and the board.</p>

<p>Virat Kohli's captaincy stint in Test cricket was highly successful, guiding India to the final of the ICC World Test Championship in 2021. Under his leadership, India achieved several milestones, and Kohli became the most successful Test captain in Indian cricket history at the time of his departure.</p>

<p><br />
Summary - Former India captain and BCCI President Sourav Ganguly expressed surprise at Virat Kohli's decision to step down as the captain of the Indian Test cricket team. Ganguly revealed that the board was not prepared for Kohli's departure, as it was his personal choice after the South Africa series in 2022. Fans have been campaigning for Kohli's reinstatement, citing his impressive record as captain, including 40 wins and 11 draws in 68 matches.</p>


Former India captain and BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has expressed his surprise at Virat Kohli's unexpected decision to relinquish his role as the captain of the Indian Test cricket team.

Former India captain and BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has expressed his surprise at Virat Kohli's unexpected decision to relinquish his role as the captain of the Indian Test cricket team. Ganguly revealed that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was not prepared for Kohli's departure, as it was his personal choice to step down following the South Africa series in 2022. Fans have been actively campaigning for Kohli's reinstatement as the Test captain, highlighting his remarkable record as captain on social media. During his tenure, Kohli secured the fourth-highest number of victories for an Indian Test captain, with an impressive 40 wins and 11 draws in 68 matches. His win percentage of 50% places him third among all 28 Test captains who have led their teams in 40 or more matches. In an exclusive interview with Indian news channel Aaj Tak, Ganguly acknowledged the fans' support for Kohli but emphasised that only Kohli himself could provide the reasons behind his decision to step down. Ganguly stated that dwelling on the matter now serves no purpose as the selectors had to appoint a new captain, and Rohit Sharma was deemed the best option at that time. "BCCI was not prepared for Virat Kohli leaving the Test captaincy. It was unexpected for us also after the South Africa tour. Only Virat Kohli can reveal why he left the captaincy. There is no point talking about this now because Virat Kohli left the Test captaincy. Selectors had to appoint an India captain. And Rohit was the best option at that time," Ganguly said. However, Kohli had said something in a completely different note. The RCB Captain had said, “There was no prior communication to me at all from when I announced the T20I captaincy decision until the eighth (of December) where, as I said, I got a call one-and-a-half hours before the selection meeting," hinting at a clear rift between him and the board. Virat Kohli's captaincy stint in Test cricket was highly successful, guiding India to the final of the ICC World Test Championship in 2021. Under his leadership, India achieved several milestones, and Kohli became the most successful Test captain in Indian cricket history at the time of his departure. Summary - Former India captain and BCCI President Sourav Ganguly expressed surprise at Virat Kohli's decision to step down as the captain of the Indian Test cricket team. Ganguly revealed that the board was not prepared for Kohli's departure, as it was his personal choice after the South Africa series in 2022. Fans have been campaigning for Kohli's reinstatement, citing his impressive record as captain, including 40 wins and 11 draws in 68 matches.

Sourav Ganguly claims he didn’t know Virat Kohli was quitting Test captaincy

<p>Former India coach Ravi Shastri, in response to India skipper Rohit Sharma's demand of 20-25 days before an event like WTC Final, has asked him to let go of the IPL. Notably, there was only a week's gap between the IPL 2023 final and the WTC Final this year which India lost to Australia by 209 runs. This was also India's second consecutive defeat in the marquee event.</p>

<p>"See, that's never going to happen," Shastri opined on Rohit's statement in a chat with Star Sports.</p>

<p>"Let's be realistic here. You're not going to get those 20 days. And if that's the case then you've got to miss IPL," said the former coach. "So, the choice is yours and it's up to the establishment as well. I'm sure the BCCI will review this in the future, if a World Test Championship [final] is going to come after an IPL every time in the month of June, then for that season, if your team qualifies for the final, there should be certain clauses put to franchises."</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ravi-ashwin-reacts-at-indias-loss-in-wtc-final-after-being-dropped-from-playing-xi-603725">Ravi Ashwin reacts at India's loss in WTC Final after being dropped from playing XI</a></p>

<p>Rohit, at the post-match presentation after the loss against Australia, had advocated for a bigger window before the WTC Final-like events to give bowlers enough rest and have good time in hand to prepare.</p>

<p>"Yeah, ideally, we would want to have a good time in hand to prepare, give enough rest to the bowlers," he had said. "Sometimes, it can be tough because playing T20 cricket, you completely bowl different lengths, different lines, and a lot of change-ups.</p>

<p>"And then Test cricket, obviously, requires a lot of discipline, hitting that area consistently and challenging the batsmen - but again, you know Shami, Siraj, Umesh they all are experienced, they obviously know how to prepare themselves and get ready for a game like this. But in an ideal scenario, yes, I would prefer it if we have 20-25 days to prepare for a game like this," added the skipper.</p>

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Former India coach Ravi Shastri, in response to India skipper Rohit Sharma's demand of 20-25 days before an event like WTC Final, has asked him to let go of the IPL.

Former India coach Ravi Shastri, in response to India skipper Rohit Sharma's demand of 20-25 days before an event like WTC Final, has asked him to let go of the IPL. Notably, there was only a week's gap between the IPL 2023 final and the WTC Final this year which India lost to Australia by 209 runs. This was also India's second consecutive defeat in the marquee event. "See, that's never going to happen," Shastri opined on Rohit's statement in a chat with Star Sports. "Let's be realistic here. You're not going to get those 20 days. And if that's the case then you've got to miss IPL," said the former coach. "So, the choice is yours and it's up to the establishment as well. I'm sure the BCCI will review this in the future, if a World Test Championship [final] is going to come after an IPL every time in the month of June, then for that season, if your team qualifies for the final, there should be certain clauses put to franchises." Also Read: Ravi Ashwin reacts at India's loss in WTC Final after being dropped from playing XI Rohit, at the post-match presentation after the loss against Australia, had advocated for a bigger window before the WTC Final-like events to give bowlers enough rest and have good time in hand to prepare. "Yeah, ideally, we would want to have a good time in hand to prepare, give enough rest to the bowlers," he had said. "Sometimes, it can be tough because playing T20 cricket, you completely bowl different lengths, different lines, and a lot of change-ups. "And then Test cricket, obviously, requires a lot of discipline, hitting that area consistently and challenging the batsmen - but again, you know Shami, Siraj, Umesh they all are experienced, they obviously know how to prepare themselves and get ready for a game like this. But in an ideal scenario, yes, I would prefer it if we have 20-25 days to prepare for a game like this," added the skipper. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'Be realistic...,' says Ravi Shastri on Rohit's demand of 20 days before WTC Final

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<p>Former India legend Sunil Gavaskar has come down hard on the Indian captain Rohit Sharma for his latest remarks on the WTC Final being a one-off decider instead of the more desirable three-match series. On Sunday, for the second straight time, India lost the World Test Championship Final, this time against Australia by 209 runs at the Oval. During the post-match presser, Rohit suggested the WTC Final should be played across the best-of-three format.</p>

<p>“I would like to play the 3-Test match series for the WTC Final. We worked hard, and we fought, but we played just one game. I think a 3-match series would be ideal in the next WTC cycle,” Rohit said after India failed to chase down 444 on the final day of the WTC Final.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/after-claiming-wtc-final-pat-cummins-sets-sight-on-winning-ashes-in-england-first-time-in-over-two-decades-603498">After claiming WTC Final, Pat Cummins sets sight on winning away Ashes for first time in over two decades</a></p>

<p>Unlike a few others who echoed exact words, Gavaskar slammed Rohit saying from day one of the WTC cycles, everyone knows the final will be a one-off Test, so on that note, every team must prepare them for the same beforehand. Gavaskar added, like how every team prepares for the IPL, where there is just a final - the same must happen for other format's finals too.</p>

<p>“No! This has been decided for a long time; you know even before you enter that first match of the cycle that the final is going to be just a one-off. So, you have to be prepared mentally,” Gavaskar said, as quoted in India Today.</p>

<p>“Just like you prepare for the IPL, you don’t say best of three. Everybody can have a bad day or a couple of days, but before the first ball of the cycle, you know what it is. So, you can’t be asking for a best of three. Tomorrow, you may say best of five,” the former India legend added.</p>

<h2>Pat, Sunny on the same page</h2>

<p>Elated after winning his maiden World Test Championship crown, Australia captain Pat Cummins expressed the same views as that of Gavaskar’s, saying there is no end to suggestions, and from a three-match series, it can go on and on. He added even players win medals in a one-off Olympic final.</p>

<p>"We already won the WTC title. Not only 3-match series for the WTC final, but there could also be 16-match series too. Players win medals in the Olympics with just one final,” Pat said after the WTC Final.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Australia will now face England in the Ashes 2023, with the first Test starting on June 16&nbsp;in Edgbaston, whereas, India will next travel to the Caribbean Islands for the extended tour, beginning July 12.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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Former India legend Sunil Gavaskar has come down hard on the Indian captain Rohit Sharma for his latest remarks on the WTC Final being a one-off decider instead of the more desirable three-match series.

Former India legend Sunil Gavaskar has come down hard on the Indian captain Rohit Sharma for his latest remarks on the WTC Final being a one-off decider instead of the more desirable three-match series. On Sunday, for the second straight time, India lost the World Test Championship Final, this time against Australia by 209 runs at the Oval. During the post-match presser, Rohit suggested the WTC Final should be played across the best-of-three format. “I would like to play the 3-Test match series for the WTC Final. We worked hard, and we fought, but we played just one game. I think a 3-match series would be ideal in the next WTC cycle,” Rohit said after India failed to chase down 444 on the final day of the WTC Final. ALSO READ: After claiming WTC Final, Pat Cummins sets sight on winning away Ashes for first time in over two decades Unlike a few others who echoed exact words, Gavaskar slammed Rohit saying from day one of the WTC cycles, everyone knows the final will be a one-off Test, so on that note, every team must prepare them for the same beforehand. Gavaskar added, like how every team prepares for the IPL, where there is just a final - the same must happen for other format's finals too. “No! This has been decided for a long time; you know even before you enter that first match of the cycle that the final is going to be just a one-off. So, you have to be prepared mentally,” Gavaskar said, as quoted in India Today. “Just like you prepare for the IPL, you don’t say best of three. Everybody can have a bad day or a couple of days, but before the first ball of the cycle, you know what it is. So, you can’t be asking for a best of three. Tomorrow, you may say best of five,” the former India legend added. Pat, Sunny on the same page Elated after winning his maiden World Test Championship crown, Australia captain Pat Cummins expressed the same views as that of Gavaskar’s, saying there is no end to suggestions, and from a three-match series, it can go on and on. He added even players win medals in a one-off Olympic final. "We already won the WTC title. Not only 3-match series for the WTC final, but there could also be 16-match series too. Players win medals in the Olympics with just one final,” Pat said after the WTC Final. Meanwhile, Australia will now face England in the Ashes 2023, with the first Test starting on June 16 in Edgbaston, whereas, India will next travel to the Caribbean Islands for the extended tour, beginning July 12. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'You don't say this in IPL...': Gavaskar slams Rohit Sharma for his latest remarks on WTC Final format

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<p>The wait for an ICC trophy continues as yet another Indian team failed to cross the line. This time, it was against Australia in the second World Test Championship (WTC) Final at the Oval in London, where Rohit Sharma-led Indian team came second, losing by a huge margin of 209 runs.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After another painful defeat in an ICC Final, Rohit, who was part of the 2013 Champions Trophy campaign in England – the last when India won an all-team tournament, said while he laments his side's performance across the past five days, he still feels proud of the team for making it to their second successive final, which in itself is no small achievement.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/australia-crowned-world-test-champions-after-beating-india-by-210-runs-at-oval-603140">Australia crowned World Test Champions after beating India by 209 runs at Oval</a></p>

<p>Speaking to the post-match presenter after the match that ended inside the first session on day five, Rohit backed his call to put Australia into bat first in those conditions but feels the bowling let the side down considering the overall picture. The Indian captain didn’t shy from giving credit where its due as he praised the pair of Steve Smith and Travis Head, who scored respective hundreds in the first innings.</p>

<p>“I thought we started well with winning the toss, putting them to bat in those conditions. We bowled well in the first session, and then we let ourselves down with how we bowled. Got to give credit to the Australian batters. Head came in and played really well along with Steven Smith. That just took us off guard a little bit,” Rohit said.</p>

<p>While the Indian team didn’t bring their A-game this time against the mighty Aussies, Rohit feels what this squad achieved over the past two years is incredible in many ways, adding he is proud of this team irrespective of the result.</p>

<p>“We've worked hard for all those four years. Playing two finals is honestly a good achievement for us. But we'd like to go a mile ahead as well. You can't take the credit away from what we've done in those last two years to come here. Great effort from the entire unit,” the Indian Test captain added.</p>

<h2>India suffers a similar fate once again!</h2>

<p>It’s been a decade since an Indian team won an ICC trophy, having lost on several occasions across formats in the past ten years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, in this one-off final, Australia had the upper hand after scoring 469 in the first innings and dismissing India on 296 in theirs. A strong batting show in the second inning saw them giving India a huge total of 444 to win the match.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Following a decent start in the fourth innings, India failed to maximize the chances as they gave away wickets, resulting in losing their second straight WTC Final.</p>

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The wait for an ICC trophy continues as yet another Indian team failed to cross the line. This time, it was against Australia in the second World Test Championship (WTC) Final at the Oval in London, where Rohit Sharma-led Indian team came second, losing by a huge margin of 209 runs.

The wait for an ICC trophy continues as yet another Indian team failed to cross the line. This time, it was against Australia in the second World Test Championship (WTC) Final at the Oval in London, where Rohit Sharma-led Indian team came second, losing by a huge margin of 209 runs. After another painful defeat in an ICC Final, Rohit, who was part of the 2013 Champions Trophy campaign in England – the last when India won an all-team tournament, said while he laments his side's performance across the past five days, he still feels proud of the team for making it to their second successive final, which in itself is no small achievement. ALSO READ: Australia crowned World Test Champions after beating India by 209 runs at Oval Speaking to the post-match presenter after the match that ended inside the first session on day five, Rohit backed his call to put Australia into bat first in those conditions but feels the bowling let the side down considering the overall picture. The Indian captain didn’t shy from giving credit where its due as he praised the pair of Steve Smith and Travis Head, who scored respective hundreds in the first innings. “I thought we started well with winning the toss, putting them to bat in those conditions. We bowled well in the first session, and then we let ourselves down with how we bowled. Got to give credit to the Australian batters. Head came in and played really well along with Steven Smith. That just took us off guard a little bit,” Rohit said. While the Indian team didn’t bring their A-game this time against the mighty Aussies, Rohit feels what this squad achieved over the past two years is incredible in many ways, adding he is proud of this team irrespective of the result. “We've worked hard for all those four years. Playing two finals is honestly a good achievement for us. But we'd like to go a mile ahead as well. You can't take the credit away from what we've done in those last two years to come here. Great effort from the entire unit,” the Indian Test captain added. India suffers a similar fate once again! It’s been a decade since an Indian team won an ICC trophy, having lost on several occasions across formats in the past ten years. Meanwhile, in this one-off final, Australia had the upper hand after scoring 469 in the first innings and dismissing India on 296 in theirs. A strong batting show in the second inning saw them giving India a huge total of 444 to win the match. Following a decent start in the fourth innings, India failed to maximize the chances as they gave away wickets, resulting in losing their second straight WTC Final. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'Reaching two finals is a good achievement, proud of this team', says Rohit Sharma after India lost WTC Final

<p>Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar blasted Rohit Sharma for being a bit eager for runs and getting out in the process on day 4 of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final against Australia.</p>

<p>Rohit was batting fluently before getting out LBW while attempting a sweep shot off Nathan Lyon. He scored 43 runs and had added 41 runs with Shubman Gill for the 1st wicket and 51 runs with Cheteshwar Pujara for the second wicket.</p>

<p>“Rohit Sharma didn't put a foot wrong. T20 and Test match have absolutely no connection. He struggled in IPL, but come Test cricket, he didn't put a foot wrong unless that happened. It happened when a spinner came on after the three quality seamers went out. You suddenly felt there's a chance to get some runs and a T20 shot came out of the psyche of Rohit Sharma,” Manjrekar said in a conversation with ESPNCricinfo.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wtc-final-never-expected-that-ravi-shastri-laments-poor-shot-selection-from-cheteshwar-pujara-on-day-4-603081">'Never expected that...:' Ravi Shastri laments poor shot selection from Cheteshwar Pujara on day 4</a></p>

<p>Manjrekar described the ball by Lyon as nothing special but a bit shorter than Rohit would have liked.</p>

<p>“The ball came straight, it was nothing special. Maybe, there was a lapse of concentration, a bit too eager for runs. Once he went down on his knees, much to his chagrin, it was shorter than he would've liked. He became greedy to pick up a few runs,” he added.</p>

<p>The former India batsman also compared Rohit to Virat Kohli and said that Kohli wouldn't have gone for a shot like that.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"With some batters, you can say there's a genuine problem of lapse of concentration. This is a guy who got two hundreds in his first two innings of his Test career. He knows how to get the big scores. Even against England in the four Tests, he got 100 and a a 80, and looked a million-dollar right through the series.</p>

<p>“This wasn't him losing the concentration. There's some difference in Rohit Sharma playing in that fashion, against somebody like Virat Kohli in his prime. He was never going to give you a chance, once he's in, he's in. 4 hundreds against Australia in 2014... that's what Kohli did,” Manjrekar added.</p>

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Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar blasted Rohit Sharma for being a bit eager for runs and getting out in the process on day 4 of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final against Australia.

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar blasted Rohit Sharma for being a bit eager for runs and getting out in the process on day 4 of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final against Australia. Rohit was batting fluently before getting out LBW while attempting a sweep shot off Nathan Lyon. He scored 43 runs and had added 41 runs with Shubman Gill for the 1st wicket and 51 runs with Cheteshwar Pujara for the second wicket. “Rohit Sharma didn't put a foot wrong. T20 and Test match have absolutely no connection. He struggled in IPL, but come Test cricket, he didn't put a foot wrong unless that happened. It happened when a spinner came on after the three quality seamers went out. You suddenly felt there's a chance to get some runs and a T20 shot came out of the psyche of Rohit Sharma,” Manjrekar said in a conversation with ESPNCricinfo. Also Read: 'Never expected that...:' Ravi Shastri laments poor shot selection from Cheteshwar Pujara on day 4 Manjrekar described the ball by Lyon as nothing special but a bit shorter than Rohit would have liked. “The ball came straight, it was nothing special. Maybe, there was a lapse of concentration, a bit too eager for runs. Once he went down on his knees, much to his chagrin, it was shorter than he would've liked. He became greedy to pick up a few runs,” he added. The former India batsman also compared Rohit to Virat Kohli and said that Kohli wouldn't have gone for a shot like that. "With some batters, you can say there's a genuine problem of lapse of concentration. This is a guy who got two hundreds in his first two innings of his Test career. He knows how to get the big scores. Even against England in the four Tests, he got 100 and a a 80, and looked a million-dollar right through the series. “This wasn't him losing the concentration. There's some difference in Rohit Sharma playing in that fashion, against somebody like Virat Kohli in his prime. He was never going to give you a chance, once he's in, he's in. 4 hundreds against Australia in 2014... that's what Kohli did,” Manjrekar added. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

WTC Final: Sanjay Manjrekar calls out Rohit Sharma for being 'too eager for runs'

<p>Australia have stamped their authority on the World Test Championship (WTC) final after they dominated Day 2 of the Oval Test with both bat and ball on Thursday, June 8. After getting bowled out for 469, their bowlers did the trick with the ball and limited India to 151/5, with top-order batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli already back in the pavilion. As things stand, India still trail by 318 runs in the first innings and need 118 runs to avoid follow-on.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Stumps ⏲<br />
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Like the opening day, Day 2 of the Ultimate Test has belonged to the Aussies 💪<br />
<br />
Follow the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WTC23?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WTC23</a> Final 👉 <a href="https://t.co/wJHUyVnX0r">https://t.co/wJHUyVnX0r</a> <a href="https://t.co/3RRJJJh0Jo">pic.twitter.com/3RRJJJh0Jo</a></p>
— ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1666854015223595008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<h2><strong>India's collapse with bat</strong></h2>

<p>After bowling out Australia, the Indian team needed a good start to stay in the hunt of the Aussies, but things did not go according to plan for Rohit Sharma’s team. India lost the skipper on 15 on the final ball of the sixth over. Soon India lost Shubman Gill as he missed judged the flight of the delivery and was scalped by Scott Boland on 13 in the very next over. At tea, India were 37/2 with Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara in the middle and trying to steer the team to a safe position.</p>

<p>However, in the post-lunch session, India lost both Pujara (14) and Kohli (14) as the situation went from bad to worse at 71/4.</p>

<h2><strong>Jadeja and Rahane hold firm for India</strong></h2>

<p>With wickets following at regular intervals new batters Ajinkya Rahane (unbeaten 29) and Ravindra Jadeja (48) steered India to the 100-run mark. Jadeja was aggressive of the two and scored 48 off just 51 deliveries, while Rahane held one end for the Indian side. Jadeja’s innings consisted of a six and seven fours. Both Rahane and Jadeja put in a 71-run stand for the fifth wicket before Nathan Lyon got the better of him.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/if-it-had-been-a-question-of-money-i-would-have-gone-to-saudi-arabia-lionel-messi-on-joining-inter-miami-601947">'If it had been a question of money, I would have gone to Saudi Arabia' - Lionel Messi on joining Inter Miami</a></p>

<h2><strong>Smith scores 31st Test ton</strong></h2>

<p>Earlier in the day, Smith reached his 31st hundred for the Aussies in the Test format. The New South Wales batter leapfrogged Matthew Hayden for most Test hundreds while also bringing up his 43rd international ton. Only Steve Waugh (32) and Ricky Ponting (41) have reached the triple-figure mark on more occasions. Australia would later end their innings at 469 after they were bowled out by Indian bowlers.</p>

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Australia have stamped their authority on the World Test Championship (WTC) final after they dominated Day 2 of the Oval Test with both bat and ball on Thursday, June 8.

Australia have stamped their authority on the World Test Championship (WTC) final after they dominated Day 2 of the Oval Test with both bat and ball on Thursday, June 8. After getting bowled out for 469, their bowlers did the trick with the ball and limited India to 151/5, with top-order batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli already back in the pavilion. As things stand, India still trail by 318 runs in the first innings and need 118 runs to avoid follow-on. Stumps ⏲ Like the opening day, Day 2 of the Ultimate Test has belonged to the Aussies 💪 Follow the #WTC23 Final 👉 https://t.co/wJHUyVnX0r pic.twitter.com/3RRJJJh0Jo — ICC (@ICC) June 8, 2023 × India's collapse with bat After bowling out Australia, the Indian team needed a good start to stay in the hunt of the Aussies, but things did not go according to plan for Rohit Sharma’s team. India lost the skipper on 15 on the final ball of the sixth over. Soon India lost Shubman Gill as he missed judged the flight of the delivery and was scalped by Scott Boland on 13 in the very next over. At tea, India were 37/2 with Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara in the middle and trying to steer the team to a safe position. However, in the post-lunch session, India lost both Pujara (14) and Kohli (14) as the situation went from bad to worse at 71/4. Jadeja and Rahane hold firm for India With wickets following at regular intervals new batters Ajinkya Rahane (unbeaten 29) and Ravindra Jadeja (48) steered India to the 100-run mark. Jadeja was aggressive of the two and scored 48 off just 51 deliveries, while Rahane held one end for the Indian side. Jadeja’s innings consisted of a six and seven fours. Both Rahane and Jadeja put in a 71-run stand for the fifth wicket before Nathan Lyon got the better of him. ALSO READ | 'If it had been a question of money, I would have gone to Saudi Arabia' - Lionel Messi on joining Inter Miami Smith scores 31st Test ton Earlier in the day, Smith reached his 31st hundred for the Aussies in the Test format. The New South Wales batter leapfrogged Matthew Hayden for most Test hundreds while also bringing up his 43rd international ton. Only Steve Waugh (32) and Ricky Ponting (41) have reached the triple-figure mark on more occasions. Australia would later end their innings at 469 after they were bowled out by Indian bowlers. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

WTC Final: Aussies stamp authority at Oval as India's top order fails to deliver

<p>Rohit Sharma’s woes in the International Cricket Council (ICC) finals continued after he was dismissed for 15 by opposite number Pat Cummins for 15 runs. Rohit, leading the Indian team in the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) final on Thursday,&nbsp;June 8, he had yet another disappointing outing in the final against the Aussies, while team India struggled in the second session of Day 2. The Indian team&nbsp;lost four wickets before the end of the second session.</p>

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<h2><strong>Rohit Sharma’s woes continue</strong></h2>

<p>Playing in his sixth ICC trophy final, history was not on the side of the 35-year-old with him scoring just 132 runs in six innings. Things only got worse for Rohit on Thursday as he was dismissed for 15 by Cummins on the final ball of the sixth over of the Indian innings. This now means that Rohit now has scored 147 runs in the ICC final with a best of 34 runs in the first innings of the 2021 WTC final. He averages 24.5 in that period, another poor return for the out-of-form man.</p>

<h2><strong>Rohit Sharma’s Performance in ICC Finals</strong></h2>

<p>2007 T20 World Cup Final – 30* Runs</p>

<p>2013 Champions Trophy Final – 9 Runs</p>

<p>2014 T20 World Cup Final – 29 Runs</p>

<p>2017 Champions Trophy Final – 0 Runs</p>

<p>2021 WTC Final – 34 Runs (First Innings)</p>

<p>2021 WTC Final – 30 Runs (Second Innings)</p>

<p>2023 WTC Final – 15 Runs (First Innings)</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/if-it-had-been-a-question-of-money-i-would-have-gone-to-saudi-arabia-lionel-messi-on-joining-inter-miami-601947">'If it had been a question of money, I would have gone to Saudi Arabia' - Lionel Messi on joining Inter Miami</a></p>

<h2><strong>India make poor start to innings</strong></h2>

<p>After bowling out Australia at 469, India did not have the best start as they lost skipper Rohit, Shubman Gill (13), Virat Kohli (14), and Cheteshwar Pujara (14) early. India were 37/2 at the lunch break before the situation got even worse at 71/4. Australia’s all top bowlers, Mitchell Starc, Cummins, Scott Boland, and Cameron Green scalped wicket a piece.&nbsp; India at the time of writing were 120/4 and were trailing by 349 runs.</p>

<h2><strong>Smith scores 31st Test ton</strong></h2>

<p>Earlier in the day, Smith reached his 31st hundred for the Aussies in the Test format. The New South Wales batter leapfrogged Matthew Hayden for most Test hundreds while also bringing up his 43rd international ton. Only Steve Waugh (32) and Ricky Ponting (41) have reached the triple-figure mark on more occasions. Australia would later end their innings at 469 after they were bowled out by Indian bowlers.</p>

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Rohit Sharma’s woes in the International Cricket Council (ICC) finals continued after he was dismissed for 15 by opposite number Pat Cummins for 15 runs. Rohit, leading the Indian team in the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) final on Thursday, June 8, he had yet another disappointing outing in the final against the Aussies, while team India struggled in the second session of Day 2.

Rohit Sharma’s woes in the International Cricket Council (ICC) finals continued after he was dismissed for 15 by opposite number Pat Cummins for 15 runs. Rohit, leading the Indian team in the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) final on Thursday, June 8, he had yet another disappointing outing in the final against the Aussies, while team India struggled in the second session of Day 2. The Indian team lost four wickets before the end of the second session. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ICC (@icc) Rohit Sharma’s woes continue Playing in his sixth ICC trophy final, history was not on the side of the 35-year-old with him scoring just 132 runs in six innings. Things only got worse for Rohit on Thursday as he was dismissed for 15 by Cummins on the final ball of the sixth over of the Indian innings. This now means that Rohit now has scored 147 runs in the ICC final with a best of 34 runs in the first innings of the 2021 WTC final. He averages 24.5 in that period, another poor return for the out-of-form man. Rohit Sharma’s Performance in ICC Finals 2007 T20 World Cup Final – 30* Runs 2013 Champions Trophy Final – 9 Runs 2014 T20 World Cup Final – 29 Runs 2017 Champions Trophy Final – 0 Runs 2021 WTC Final – 34 Runs (First Innings) 2021 WTC Final – 30 Runs (Second Innings) 2023 WTC Final – 15 Runs (First Innings) ALSO READ | 'If it had been a question of money, I would have gone to Saudi Arabia' - Lionel Messi on joining Inter Miami India make poor start to innings After bowling out Australia at 469, India did not have the best start as they lost skipper Rohit, Shubman Gill (13), Virat Kohli (14), and Cheteshwar Pujara (14) early. India were 37/2 at the lunch break before the situation got even worse at 71/4. Australia’s all top bowlers, Mitchell Starc, Cummins, Scott Boland, and Cameron Green scalped wicket a piece. India at the time of writing were 120/4 and were trailing by 349 runs. Smith scores 31st Test ton Earlier in the day, Smith reached his 31st hundred for the Aussies in the Test format. The New South Wales batter leapfrogged Matthew Hayden for most Test hundreds while also bringing up his 43rd international ton. Only Steve Waugh (32) and Ricky Ponting (41) have reached the triple-figure mark on more occasions. Australia would later end their innings at 469 after they were bowled out by Indian bowlers. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

WTC Final: Pat Cummins scalps Rohit Sharma as woes continue in ICC finals for Indian skipper

<p>India missed the trick after electing to bowl first against Australia in the World Test Championship Final. Although looking at the overhead conditions and a green, bouncy turf on offer, the call looked bang-on in the first hour, not realising the threat of chasing in the fourth innings after what transpired after the end of day one must have made them question their decision.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Plus, bearing the brunt of benching the ranked number one Test bowler and third-best all-rounder in the world, Ravi Ashwin, added salt to the injury. This call, questioned by many, was backed by the captain Rohit Sharma at the toss, who admitted it wasn't easy to drop Ashwin.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wtc-final-head-smith-dominate-with-bat-as-aussies-take-control-at-oval-on-day-1-601895">WTC Final: Head, Smith dominate with bat as Aussies take control at Oval on Day 1</a></p>

<p>The team named an extra seam-bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur in the XI instead. Though he picked David Warner's prize wicket, the right-hand bowler went for runs, conceding 75 from 18 overs. Umesh Yadav, the third seamer for this one-off Test, looked out of rhythm, remaining wicketless after the day's play.</p>

<p>Travis Head and Steve Smith made light work of Indian bowlers, who looked clueless about their plans after the sun decided to keep the usual clouds away. With the pair closing in on completing a 300-run stand, things look gloomy for Team India heading into day two.</p>

<h2>What can India do to get back into the game?</h2>

<p>India still has a lot to play for, with four days remaining in the game. The way Mohammed Shami opened proceedings after lunch on day one by dismissing well-settled Marnus Labuschagne clean bowled off a peach, India require such a start to put brakes on the Aussies' innings.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Getting rid of this pair must be India's priority, as wrapping Australia's first innings with anything under 400 or 420 would be a bonus. Then in their first innings, with the wicket playing in the batter's favour, India must make the most of this chance and try and build a few partnerships. Not to forget, they need to give respect to the new ball to avoid facing the old fates of getting out early in a crunch situation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>India's top four need to weather the storm with two of them, Shubman Gill and Chesteshwar Pujara, in stellar form. Besides, the onus will again fall on veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who need to put on runs to keep India stay alive in the match.</p>

<p>With India batting deep this time in the presence of Thakur at number eight, taking some risks after settling down will not be a bad idea either.</p>

<p>As things stand, Australia is 327 for three after stumps on day one.</p>

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India missed the trick after electing to bowl first against Australia in the World Test Championship Final. Although looking at the overhead conditions and a green, bouncy turf on offer, the call looked bang-on in the first hour, not realising the threat of chasing in the fourth innings after what transpired after the end of day one must have made them question their decision.

India missed the trick after electing to bowl first against Australia in the World Test Championship Final. Although looking at the overhead conditions and a green, bouncy turf on offer, the call looked bang-on in the first hour, not realising the threat of chasing in the fourth innings after what transpired after the end of day one must have made them question their decision. Plus, bearing the brunt of benching the ranked number one Test bowler and third-best all-rounder in the world, Ravi Ashwin, added salt to the injury. This call, questioned by many, was backed by the captain Rohit Sharma at the toss, who admitted it wasn't easy to drop Ashwin. ALSO READ: WTC Final: Head, Smith dominate with bat as Aussies take control at Oval on Day 1 The team named an extra seam-bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur in the XI instead. Though he picked David Warner's prize wicket, the right-hand bowler went for runs, conceding 75 from 18 overs. Umesh Yadav, the third seamer for this one-off Test, looked out of rhythm, remaining wicketless after the day's play. Travis Head and Steve Smith made light work of Indian bowlers, who looked clueless about their plans after the sun decided to keep the usual clouds away. With the pair closing in on completing a 300-run stand, things look gloomy for Team India heading into day two. What can India do to get back into the game? India still has a lot to play for, with four days remaining in the game. The way Mohammed Shami opened proceedings after lunch on day one by dismissing well-settled Marnus Labuschagne clean bowled off a peach, India require such a start to put brakes on the Aussies' innings. Getting rid of this pair must be India's priority, as wrapping Australia's first innings with anything under 400 or 420 would be a bonus. Then in their first innings, with the wicket playing in the batter's favour, India must make the most of this chance and try and build a few partnerships. Not to forget, they need to give respect to the new ball to avoid facing the old fates of getting out early in a crunch situation. India's top four need to weather the storm with two of them, Shubman Gill and Chesteshwar Pujara, in stellar form. Besides, the onus will again fall on veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who need to put on runs to keep India stay alive in the match. With India batting deep this time in the presence of Thakur at number eight, taking some risks after settling down will not be a bad idea either. As things stand, Australia is 327 for three after stumps on day one. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

WTC Final, Day 2 - Preview: Following troubled start, clueless Indian team to aim for comeback

<p>India and Australia are set to face off each other in the second edition of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final from Wednesday in England and the conditions in London are playing on the mind of both teams' skippers to decided their best XI.</p>

<p>While Australia skipper Pat Cummins all but confirmed Australia's XI with 'no surprises,' India skipper Rohit Sharma, along with the team management, is going to wait till the toss and pick their best XI depending on the conditions prevalent at the time .</p>

<p>With KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant out with injury and fast-bowling all-rounder Hardik Pandya not in the squad, India's batting looks a bit thin which means Ravindra Jadeja might be a surety in the squad. Ravi Ashwin, in that case, may or may not play, given the weather conditions in England do not require more than one spinner in the playing XI often.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wtc-final-icc-prepares-back-up-pitch-at-oval-amid-fear-of-protest-from-climate-activist-group-just-stop-oil-601502">WTC Final: ICC prepares back-up pitch at Oval amid fear of protest from climate activist group Just Stop Oil</a></p>

<p>India skipper Rohit Sharma, however, said on the eve of the Test that he's going to wait till the final day to take a call on the XI.</p>

<p>"Yeah, see, I've not said that Ashwin is not going to play. We'll wait until tomorrow - because one thing I have seen here - the pitch actually changes quite a bit from day to day. Today it's looking the way it is. Tomorrow it might be slightly different, who knows. So the message to the boys has been very clear, all 15 must be ready to play at any point in time. And we'll see the conditions tomorrow as well and make that decision as to who gets into that playing 11," Rohit said on Tuesday.</p>

<p>Rohit also added that the he'll go and have a look at the pitch and consider all the factors like slowness, wear and tear, reverse and others before taking the final call.</p>

<p>"I'll go and have a look at the pitch. But yeah, it looks a bit of help for the seamers definitely. With the overhead conditions as well, it's going to assist seamers a fair bit. I don't know how drastically the pitch changes quite a bit in this part of the world. Like, when we played the last test match here in Oval, it looked very similar to this. And then as the game went on, as the day went on, it got better and better, slower and slower. And the reverse swing came into play as well on day 5th. So, yeah, we're going to consider all of those factors and see what will be the right combination for us to go," added the skipper.</p>

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India and Australia are set to face off each other in the second edition of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final from Wednesday in England and the conditions in London are playing on the mind of both teams' skippers to decided their best XI.

India and Australia are set to face off each other in the second edition of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final from Wednesday in England and the conditions in London are playing on the mind of both teams' skippers to decided their best XI. While Australia skipper Pat Cummins all but confirmed Australia's XI with 'no surprises,' India skipper Rohit Sharma, along with the team management, is going to wait till the toss and pick their best XI depending on the conditions prevalent at the time . With KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant out with injury and fast-bowling all-rounder Hardik Pandya not in the squad, India's batting looks a bit thin which means Ravindra Jadeja might be a surety in the squad. Ravi Ashwin, in that case, may or may not play, given the weather conditions in England do not require more than one spinner in the playing XI often. Also Read: WTC Final: ICC prepares back-up pitch at Oval amid fear of protest from climate activist group Just Stop Oil India skipper Rohit Sharma, however, said on the eve of the Test that he's going to wait till the final day to take a call on the XI. "Yeah, see, I've not said that Ashwin is not going to play. We'll wait until tomorrow - because one thing I have seen here - the pitch actually changes quite a bit from day to day. Today it's looking the way it is. Tomorrow it might be slightly different, who knows. So the message to the boys has been very clear, all 15 must be ready to play at any point in time. And we'll see the conditions tomorrow as well and make that decision as to who gets into that playing 11," Rohit said on Tuesday. Rohit also added that the he'll go and have a look at the pitch and consider all the factors like slowness, wear and tear, reverse and others before taking the final call. "I'll go and have a look at the pitch. But yeah, it looks a bit of help for the seamers definitely. With the overhead conditions as well, it's going to assist seamers a fair bit. I don't know how drastically the pitch changes quite a bit in this part of the world. Like, when we played the last test match here in Oval, it looked very similar to this. And then as the game went on, as the day went on, it got better and better, slower and slower. And the reverse swing came into play as well on day 5th. So, yeah, we're going to consider all of those factors and see what will be the right combination for us to go," added the skipper. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

WTC Final: 'Ashwin is not going to play...:' Skipper Rohit Sharma opens up on India's Playing XI vs Australia

<p>The World Test Championship (WTC) Final got underway between India and England at the Oval in London on Wednesday and India, not to much surprise, decided to go with Ravindra Jadeja as the only spinner in the squad.</p>

<p>Skipper Rohit Sharma, who decided to field first after winning the toss, was asked by Nasser Hussain how difficult it was to drop Ravi Ashwin from the squad. Notably, Ashwin is currently the number one bowler in the ICC Test ranking, with 869 points to his name.</p>

<p>“It's always tough. He's been a match-winner for us, over the course of many years. So, leaving him out was tough. But you got to do the things that are needed for the team. So, eventually we came up with that decision,” Rohit replied to Hussain's question.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wtc-final-why-india-and-australia-players-are-wearing-black-bands-601678">WTC Final: Why India and Australia players are wearing black bands?</a></p>

<p>“The conditions and also the weather being overcast. The pitch won't change too much. Four seamers and one spinner. The spinner is Jadeja,” he further added.</p>

<p>Sharma had told the reporters on the eve of the Test that he, along with the team management, is going to wait till the toss and pick their best XI depending on the conditions prevalent at the time.</p>

<p>"Yeah, see, I've not said that Ashwin is not going to play. We'll wait until tomorrow - because one thing I have seen here - the pitch actually changes quite a bit from day to day. Today it's looking the way it is. Tomorrow it might be slightly different, who knows. So the message to the boys has been very clear, all 15 must be ready to play at any point in time. And we'll see the conditions tomorrow as well and make that decision as to who gets into that playing 11," Rohit said on Tuesday.</p>

<p>"I'll go and have a look at the pitch. But yeah, it looks a bit of help for the seamers definitely. With the overhead conditions as well, it's going to assist seamers a fair bit," the skipper added.</p>

<p>India's Playing XI included four seamers in Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur alongside Ravindra Jadeja as the only spinner.</p>

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The World Test Championship (WTC) Final got underway between India and England at the Oval in London on Wednesday and India, not to much surprise, decided to go with Ravindra Jadeja as the only spinner in the squad.

The World Test Championship (WTC) Final got underway between India and England at the Oval in London on Wednesday and India, not to much surprise, decided to go with Ravindra Jadeja as the only spinner in the squad. Skipper Rohit Sharma, who decided to field first after winning the toss, was asked by Nasser Hussain how difficult it was to drop Ravi Ashwin from the squad. Notably, Ashwin is currently the number one bowler in the ICC Test ranking, with 869 points to his name. “It's always tough. He's been a match-winner for us, over the course of many years. So, leaving him out was tough. But you got to do the things that are needed for the team. So, eventually we came up with that decision,” Rohit replied to Hussain's question. Also Read: WTC Final: Why India and Australia players are wearing black bands? “The conditions and also the weather being overcast. The pitch won't change too much. Four seamers and one spinner. The spinner is Jadeja,” he further added. Sharma had told the reporters on the eve of the Test that he, along with the team management, is going to wait till the toss and pick their best XI depending on the conditions prevalent at the time. "Yeah, see, I've not said that Ashwin is not going to play. We'll wait until tomorrow - because one thing I have seen here - the pitch actually changes quite a bit from day to day. Today it's looking the way it is. Tomorrow it might be slightly different, who knows. So the message to the boys has been very clear, all 15 must be ready to play at any point in time. And we'll see the conditions tomorrow as well and make that decision as to who gets into that playing 11," Rohit said on Tuesday. "I'll go and have a look at the pitch. But yeah, it looks a bit of help for the seamers definitely. With the overhead conditions as well, it's going to assist seamers a fair bit," the skipper added. India's Playing XI included four seamers in Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur alongside Ravindra Jadeja as the only spinner. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

WTC Final: 'For the team...:' India skipper Rohit Sharma on why Ravi Ashwin was dropped from XI

<p>Rohit Sharma is all set to lead India in the second edition of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final and Virat Kohli has given his skipper a huge thumbs up to have done a wonderful job for the country in Test matches over last three-four years.</p>

<p>"The way he has performed in Test cricket in last three-four years is a testimony to his temperament towards playing Test cricket &nbsp;and having belief in himself that he can do it in Test cricket as well at the highest level and opening is not an easy job and he's done a wonderful job. opening the innings for us in last three for years so he's really done amazingly well in all formats of the game for us," said Kohli in a video shared by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on its Instagram handle.</p>

<p>Kohli also appreciated Rohit's batting style and said that he enjoyed a lot from the other hand while batting with Rohit.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wtc-final-ashwin-is-not-going-to-play-skipper-rohit-sharma-opens-up-on-indias-playing-xi-vs-australia-601541">'Ashwin is not going to play...:' Skipper Rohit Sharma opens up on India's Playing XI vs Australia</a></p>

<p>"He's someone that when you watch him play you enjoy watching him play so I have had amazing partnerships with him and I have thoroughly enjoyed it from the other end when he's going great guns," said the former India skipper.</p>

<p>Speaking about Sharma's talent, Kohli said that the Mumbai batsman always had more time than anyone else.</p>

<p>"Rohit I have always said that he's got more than anyone else on the ball and that's his special ability he had from day one. When I saw him the first time I understood what the hype was all about and why he was rated so highly and what he's done for India in white-ball cricket over the long period of time we all knew," said Kohli.</p>

<p>As for the WTC Final, Rohit had scored a century last time India played at the Oval in England and Kohli hoped for the same this time around as well.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"As I said he's performed really well in these conditions and las time around got a hundred in the oval hopefully he can repeat the same in this final as well," concluded Kohli.</p>

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Rohit Sharma is all set to lead India in the second edition of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final and Virat Kohli has given his skipper a huge thumbs up to have done a wonderful job for the country in Test matches over last three-four years.

Rohit Sharma is all set to lead India in the second edition of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final and Virat Kohli has given his skipper a huge thumbs up to have done a wonderful job for the country in Test matches over last three-four years. "The way he has performed in Test cricket in last three-four years is a testimony to his temperament towards playing Test cricket and having belief in himself that he can do it in Test cricket as well at the highest level and opening is not an easy job and he's done a wonderful job. opening the innings for us in last three for years so he's really done amazingly well in all formats of the game for us," said Kohli in a video shared by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on its Instagram handle. Kohli also appreciated Rohit's batting style and said that he enjoyed a lot from the other hand while batting with Rohit. Also Read: 'Ashwin is not going to play...:' Skipper Rohit Sharma opens up on India's Playing XI vs Australia "He's someone that when you watch him play you enjoy watching him play so I have had amazing partnerships with him and I have thoroughly enjoyed it from the other end when he's going great guns," said the former India skipper. Speaking about Sharma's talent, Kohli said that the Mumbai batsman always had more time than anyone else. "Rohit I have always said that he's got more than anyone else on the ball and that's his special ability he had from day one. When I saw him the first time I understood what the hype was all about and why he was rated so highly and what he's done for India in white-ball cricket over the long period of time we all knew," said Kohli. As for the WTC Final, Rohit had scored a century last time India played at the Oval in England and Kohli hoped for the same this time around as well. "As I said he's performed really well in these conditions and las time around got a hundred in the oval hopefully he can repeat the same in this final as well," concluded Kohli. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

WTC Final: Virat Kohli hopes for another Rohit Sharma century at the Oval

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<p><strong>WTC 2023 Final: </strong>Rohit Sharma, the captain of the Indian cricket team, had an injury scare just one day ahead of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final against Australia at The Oval, London. On Tuesday, the Indian skipper injured his left thumb during the practice session. Rohit Sharma did not take part in the practice drills after the injury. Several key players, including Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja and Shubman Gill, attended the practice session. Rohit Sharma's injury scare adds a level of concern for Team India as they seek to win the World Test Championship against Australia, especially after their defeat in the WTC 2021 Final against Kane Williamson-led New Zealand.</p>

<p>Rohit Sharma has expressed his desire to win the ICC WTC 2023 trophy for India. The Men in Blue have not been able to win an ICC title since 2013, despite several chances. The right-handed batsman assumed the captaincy across the formats after Virat Kohli stepped down after India's Test series loss in South Africa in 2022.&nbsp;</p>

<p>When asked about the legacy he would leave as a captain, Rohit said, "Whether it's me or someone else, even the guys before, their role was to take Indian cricket forward&nbsp;and win as many games, as many championships as possible. For me also, it will be the same. I want to win championships. That is what you play for."</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-aus-wtc-final-how-where-to-watch-world-test-championship-final-2023-live-on-tv-mobile-laptop-601235">IND vs AUS WTC Final: How &amp; where to watch World Test Championship Final 2023 LIVE on TV, mobile &amp; laptop</a></p>

<h2><strong>WTC Final: Rohit Sharma's injury scare</strong></h2>

<p>Rohit Sharma's injury scare a day ahead of the WTC Final against Australia has raised concerns. The Indian captain is crucial to the team because he's a great leader and an exceptional player. He was among the most consistent players during the World Test Championship 2023 cycle. The Indian opener scored 242 runs from six innings, including a hundred, against the Aussies in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in March 2023. His absence from the field can change things at the last minute and impact Team India's overall performance. Rohit Sharma and Australia's captain Pat Cummins posed with the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) mace ahead of the WTC Final starting June 7, 2023.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to reports, Team India's management said that Rohit Sharma is completely fine and&nbsp;fit to play in the WTC 2023 Final starting Wednesday, June 7, at 3 PM IST. The match will be telecast live on all Star Sports TV channels and Disney+ Hotstar.</p>

<h2>WTC Final: Rohit Sharma's Squad</h2>

<p><strong>India Squad for WTC Final:</strong>&nbsp;Rohit Sharma (c), Ravichandran Ashwin, KS Bharat (wk), Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli, Ishan Kishan (wk), Cheteshwar Pujara, Axar Patel, Ajinkya Rahane, Mohammad Shami, Mohammad Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Jaydev Unadkat, Umesh Yadav</p>

<p><strong>Reserves:</strong>&nbsp;Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar, Suryakumar Yadav</p>

<p><strong>India's Predicted Playing XI:&nbsp;</strong>Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, KS Bharat (wk), Shardul Thakur, Mohammad Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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WTC 2023 Final: Rohit Sharma, the captain of the Indian cricket team, had an injury scare just one day ahead of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final against Australia at The Oval, London.

WTC 2023 Final: Rohit Sharma, the captain of the Indian cricket team, had an injury scare just one day ahead of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final against Australia at The Oval, London. On Tuesday, the Indian skipper injured his left thumb during the practice session. Rohit Sharma did not take part in the practice drills after the injury. Several key players, including Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja and Shubman Gill, attended the practice session. Rohit Sharma's injury scare adds a level of concern for Team India as they seek to win the World Test Championship against Australia, especially after their defeat in the WTC 2021 Final against Kane Williamson-led New Zealand. Rohit Sharma has expressed his desire to win the ICC WTC 2023 trophy for India. The Men in Blue have not been able to win an ICC title since 2013, despite several chances. The right-handed batsman assumed the captaincy across the formats after Virat Kohli stepped down after India's Test series loss in South Africa in 2022. When asked about the legacy he would leave as a captain, Rohit said, "Whether it's me or someone else, even the guys before, their role was to take Indian cricket forward and win as many games, as many championships as possible. For me also, it will be the same. I want to win championships. That is what you play for." ALSO READ | IND vs AUS WTC Final: How & where to watch World Test Championship Final 2023 LIVE on TV, mobile & laptop WTC Final: Rohit Sharma's injury scare Rohit Sharma's injury scare a day ahead of the WTC Final against Australia has raised concerns. The Indian captain is crucial to the team because he's a great leader and an exceptional player. He was among the most consistent players during the World Test Championship 2023 cycle. The Indian opener scored 242 runs from six innings, including a hundred, against the Aussies in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in March 2023. His absence from the field can change things at the last minute and impact Team India's overall performance. Rohit Sharma and Australia's captain Pat Cummins posed with the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) mace ahead of the WTC Final starting June 7, 2023. According to reports, Team India's management said that Rohit Sharma is completely fine and fit to play in the WTC 2023 Final starting Wednesday, June 7, at 3 PM IST. The match will be telecast live on all Star Sports TV channels and Disney+ Hotstar. WTC Final: Rohit Sharma's Squad India Squad for WTC Final: Rohit Sharma (c), Ravichandran Ashwin, KS Bharat (wk), Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli, Ishan Kishan (wk), Cheteshwar Pujara, Axar Patel, Ajinkya Rahane, Mohammad Shami, Mohammad Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Jaydev Unadkat, Umesh Yadav Reserves: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar, Suryakumar Yadav India's Predicted Playing XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, KS Bharat (wk), Shardul Thakur, Mohammad Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Injury scare for Rohit Sharma a day before WTC Final 2023; Check updates here

<p>India captain Rohit Sharma has cleared his intent on the eve of the World Test Championship (WTC) final as his side prepares to face Australia in the showdown clash starting on Wednesday, June 7. The clash taking place at the Oval Stadium in London will have huge bearings as Team India try to end their decade-long wait for an International Cricket Council (ICC) trophy. This will be the first time Rohit takes charge of Team India in an away Test match having missed out on leading in the Edgbaston Test last year.</p>

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Not long to go now for the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WTC23?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WTC23</a> Final to begin! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> <a href="https://t.co/8EAI2fUaNX">pic.twitter.com/8EAI2fUaNX</a></p>
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<h2><strong>Rohit and Co to go for glory</strong></h2>

<p>“I've gotten the job to make sure that we take Indian cricket forward every time whoever it is, whether it's me or someone else, even the guys before, their role was to take Indian cricket forward and win as many games, as many championships as possible," he said on eve of the contest. &nbsp;</p>

<p>"For me also, it will be the same. I want to win games, I want to win championships. That is what you play for. And yeah, it will be nice to win some titles, win some extraordinary series,” Rohit added.</p>

<h2><strong>Rohit all ready to end India’s ICC trophy drought</strong></h2>

<p>Going into Wednesday’s clash at the Oval, Rohit and Co will look to stamp their authority on the contest which could see them win an ICC trophy for the first time in a decade. India have not won an ICC trophy since their Champions Trophy success in June 2013 against England at Edgbaston.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pakistan-may-pull-out-of-asia-cup-if-hybrid-model-rejected-report-601189">Pakistan may pull out of Asia Cup if hybrid model is rejected: Report</a></p>

<p>"But having said that, I genuinely feel that we don't want to put too much pressure on ourselves by overthinking about these kinds of stuff. As captain, like I said, every captain wants to win championships, So I'll be no different. I also want to win the championship. And that's what the sport is all about, winning championships. So for me, it'll be nice if I can win one or two championships, as in when I decide to move on from this job. So it'll be nice. So we'll wait and see what happens,” Rohit further added.</p>

<h2><strong>When is the WTC final?</strong></h2>

<p>The WTC final will start on Wednesday, June 7 at the iconic Oval Stadium in London, with an opportunity for India to win a Grand Slam of ICC titles. As things stand, the WTC trophy remains the only piece missing from the puzzle. India won the ODI World Cup in 1983 and 2011, while they lifted the T20 World Cup in 2007 and won the Champions Trophy in 2000 and 2013.</p>

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India captain Rohit Sharma has cleared his intent on the eve of the World Test Championship (WTC) final as his side prepares to face Australia in the showdown clash starting on Wednesday, June 7.

India captain Rohit Sharma has cleared his intent on the eve of the World Test Championship (WTC) final as his side prepares to face Australia in the showdown clash starting on Wednesday, June 7. The clash taking place at the Oval Stadium in London will have huge bearings as Team India try to end their decade-long wait for an International Cricket Council (ICC) trophy. This will be the first time Rohit takes charge of Team India in an away Test match having missed out on leading in the Edgbaston Test last year. What the two teams are playing for 🏆 Not long to go now for the #WTC23 Final to begin! #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/8EAI2fUaNX — BCCI (@BCCI) June 6, 2023 × Rohit and Co to go for glory “I've gotten the job to make sure that we take Indian cricket forward every time whoever it is, whether it's me or someone else, even the guys before, their role was to take Indian cricket forward and win as many games, as many championships as possible," he said on eve of the contest. "For me also, it will be the same. I want to win games, I want to win championships. That is what you play for. And yeah, it will be nice to win some titles, win some extraordinary series,” Rohit added. Rohit all ready to end India’s ICC trophy drought Going into Wednesday’s clash at the Oval, Rohit and Co will look to stamp their authority on the contest which could see them win an ICC trophy for the first time in a decade. India have not won an ICC trophy since their Champions Trophy success in June 2013 against England at Edgbaston. ALSO READ | Pakistan may pull out of Asia Cup if hybrid model is rejected: Report "But having said that, I genuinely feel that we don't want to put too much pressure on ourselves by overthinking about these kinds of stuff. As captain, like I said, every captain wants to win championships, So I'll be no different. I also want to win the championship. And that's what the sport is all about, winning championships. So for me, it'll be nice if I can win one or two championships, as in when I decide to move on from this job. So it'll be nice. So we'll wait and see what happens,” Rohit further added. When is the WTC final? The WTC final will start on Wednesday, June 7 at the iconic Oval Stadium in London, with an opportunity for India to win a Grand Slam of ICC titles. As things stand, the WTC trophy remains the only piece missing from the puzzle. India won the ODI World Cup in 1983 and 2011, while they lifted the T20 World Cup in 2007 and won the Champions Trophy in 2000 and 2013. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

WTC Final: Rohit Sharma clears intent ahead of Aussie showdown, says 'I want to win the championship'

<p>The Men in Blue are reported to travel to West Indies for yet another big tour as they are likely to take on the Caribbean side in a three-match ODI and two-match Test series. In addition, the tour will also consists of five T20Is with three in Caribbean islands and two in USA’s Florida. While the agreement between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Cricket West Indies (CWI) is yet to be reached, they are likely to sign it during the World Test Championship (WTC) final in London.</p>

<h2><strong>When is the series?</strong></h2>

<p>As reported by Cricbuzz, the series is likely to start on July 12 and conclude on August 13 in the USA. The Indian team is likely to depart for the Caribbean islands on July 5 or 6 and will start preparations for the tour. The Indian team will look at the series as a perfect opportunity to prepare for the T20 World Cup in 2024. This will be the second year running that Team India will play a series in the West Indies, having also toured in July and August last year.</p>

<p>According to the current itinerary, the Indian team will play three T20Is but are now scheduled to play two more T20Is which will see them travel to the USA. India were in Florida in 2016 and in 2022 and will be there for the 2024 T20 World Cup as well.</p>

<p>As things stand, Dominica and Trinidad are the venues shortlisted for the two-match Test series while Barbados will be the third venue in use for the series. It is likely to host the first two ODIs while Guyana will be added as a T20I venue.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pakistan-may-pull-out-of-asia-cup-if-hybrid-model-rejected-report-601189">Pakistan may pull out of Asia Cup if hybrid model is rejected: Report</a></p>

<h2><strong>Tentative schedule:</strong></h2>

<p>July 12-16: 1st Test in Dominica</p>

<p>July 20-24: 2nd Test in Trinidad</p>

<p>July 27: 1st ODI in Barbados</p>

<p>July 29: 2nd ODI in Barbados</p>

<p>August 1: 3rd ODI in Trinidad</p>

<p>August 4: 1st T20I in Trinidad</p>

<p>August 6: 2nd T20I in Guyana</p>

<p>August 8: 3rd T20I in Guyana</p>

<p>August 12: 4th T20I in Florida</p>

<p>August 13: 5th T20I in Florida</p>

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The Men in Blue are reported to travel to West Indies for yet another big tour as they are likely to take on the Caribbean side in a three-match ODI and two-match Test series.

The Men in Blue are reported to travel to West Indies for yet another big tour as they are likely to take on the Caribbean side in a three-match ODI and two-match Test series. In addition, the tour will also consists of five T20Is with three in Caribbean islands and two in USA’s Florida. While the agreement between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Cricket West Indies (CWI) is yet to be reached, they are likely to sign it during the World Test Championship (WTC) final in London. When is the series? As reported by Cricbuzz, the series is likely to start on July 12 and conclude on August 13 in the USA. The Indian team is likely to depart for the Caribbean islands on July 5 or 6 and will start preparations for the tour. The Indian team will look at the series as a perfect opportunity to prepare for the T20 World Cup in 2024. This will be the second year running that Team India will play a series in the West Indies, having also toured in July and August last year. According to the current itinerary, the Indian team will play three T20Is but are now scheduled to play two more T20Is which will see them travel to the USA. India were in Florida in 2016 and in 2022 and will be there for the 2024 T20 World Cup as well. As things stand, Dominica and Trinidad are the venues shortlisted for the two-match Test series while Barbados will be the third venue in use for the series. It is likely to host the first two ODIs while Guyana will be added as a T20I venue. ALSO READ | Pakistan may pull out of Asia Cup if hybrid model is rejected: Report Tentative schedule: July 12-16: 1st Test in Dominica July 20-24: 2nd Test in Trinidad July 27: 1st ODI in Barbados July 29: 2nd ODI in Barbados August 1: 3rd ODI in Trinidad August 4: 1st T20I in Trinidad August 6: 2nd T20I in Guyana August 8: 3rd T20I in Guyana August 12: 4th T20I in Florida August 13: 5th T20I in Florida WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

India's tour of West Indies: Rohit's men to play two Tests, three ODIs in addition to five T20Is: Reports

In the second segment of Wion's exclusive with former Indian stumper Saba Karim, he opined on India's playing XI for WTC final vs Australia. In addition, he opened up on the Men in Blue's chances for the upcoming ICC ODI World Cup 2023, at home, and named their key player.

Exclusive | WTC Final: Former Indian stumper in favour of KS Bharat's inclusion in India's playing XI

<p>India are set to lock horns with Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final, which commences on June 07 (Wednesday) at The Oval, London. In the inaugural WTC cycle, Virat Kohli-led India dominated almost every series and qualified for the final where they lost to New Zealand by eight wickets. This time around, the No. 1 ranked Indian team will aim to go past their opposition and end their ten-year-long ICC title drought.</p>

<p>Ahead of the marquee battle between India and Australia, Virat Kohli is on the cusp of achieving some big milestones if he gets going in the forthcoming WTC summit clash. If the 34-year-old Kohli gets going in the mega clash and scores a ton, it will be his 29th in the longest format. Thus, he will equal Sir Don Bradman's tally.</p>

<p>Among the active cricketers, Kohli only be behind Australia's Steve Smith&nbsp;(30 tons) and join&nbsp;former England skipper Joe Root&nbsp;with 29 tons each.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/winning-the-wtc-final-will-mean-everything-to-us-indian-captain-rohit-sharma-ahead-of-australia-tie-601217"><strong>'Winning the WTC final will mean everything to us': Indian captain Rohit Sharma ahead of Australia tie</strong></a></p>

<h2><strong>Kohli eyes head coach Dravid's record</strong></h2>

<p>In addition, Kohli has a chance to go past head coach Rahul Dravid.&nbsp;In 24 Tests against the Aussies, he has&nbsp;1,979 runs at an average of 48.26. If he scores 188 more, Kohli will surpass&nbsp;Dravid's tally against Australia&nbsp;(who ended his career with 2,166 runs after Sachin Tendulkar's 3630&nbsp;and VVS Laxman's 2434).</p>

<p>Lastly, Kohli will also take over Virender Sehwag's run-tally in whites (8,586) with 170, or more, runs in the WTC final. At present, he has&nbsp;8416 runs in 108 Tests.&nbsp;Thus, he has a chance to become India's&nbsp;fifth-highest run-getter in Tests.&nbsp;Tendulkar (15,921), Dravid (13,288), Sunil Gavaskar (10,122), and Laxman (8,781) lead the list followed by Sehwag.</p>

<p>In his last Test inning, which came against Australia in the final match of the 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy at home, Kohli returned with a sublime 186&nbsp;in March. Thus, India will hope for another daddy hundred from him in the WTC final showdown versus Pat Cummins &amp; Co.</p>

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India are set to lock horns with Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final, which commences on June 07 (Wednesday) at The Oval, London. In the inaugural WTC cycle, Virat Kohli-led India dominated almost every series and qualified for the final where they lost to New Zealand by eight wickets.

India are set to lock horns with Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final, which commences on June 07 (Wednesday) at The Oval, London. In the inaugural WTC cycle, Virat Kohli-led India dominated almost every series and qualified for the final where they lost to New Zealand by eight wickets. This time around, the No. 1 ranked Indian team will aim to go past their opposition and end their ten-year-long ICC title drought. Ahead of the marquee battle between India and Australia, Virat Kohli is on the cusp of achieving some big milestones if he gets going in the forthcoming WTC summit clash. If the 34-year-old Kohli gets going in the mega clash and scores a ton, it will be his 29th in the longest format. Thus, he will equal Sir Don Bradman's tally. Among the active cricketers, Kohli only be behind Australia's Steve Smith (30 tons) and join former England skipper Joe Root with 29 tons each. Also Read: 'Winning the WTC final will mean everything to us': Indian captain Rohit Sharma ahead of Australia tie Kohli eyes head coach Dravid's record In addition, Kohli has a chance to go past head coach Rahul Dravid. In 24 Tests against the Aussies, he has 1,979 runs at an average of 48.26. If he scores 188 more, Kohli will surpass Dravid's tally against Australia (who ended his career with 2,166 runs after Sachin Tendulkar's 3630 and VVS Laxman's 2434). Lastly, Kohli will also take over Virender Sehwag's run-tally in whites (8,586) with 170, or more, runs in the WTC final. At present, he has 8416 runs in 108 Tests. Thus, he has a chance to become India's fifth-highest run-getter in Tests. Tendulkar (15,921), Dravid (13,288), Sunil Gavaskar (10,122), and Laxman (8,781) lead the list followed by Sehwag. In his last Test inning, which came against Australia in the final match of the 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy at home, Kohli returned with a sublime 186 in March. Thus, India will hope for another daddy hundred from him in the WTC final showdown versus Pat Cummins & Co. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Ind vs Aus, WTC Final: Virat Kohli on the cusp to equal Don Bradman's record, go past Rahul Dravid's feat

<p>India will face Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final at The Oval, London on Wednesday (June 07). After losing the inaugural WTC finale, to New Zealand, India will be eager to get past the finish line this time around and win the coveted Test mace. India have not won an ICC title since 2013 and, hence, will be desperate to break their ten-year-long title drought.</p>

<p>Ahead of the summit clash, Indian captain Rohit opened up on playing at a neutral venue, facing arch-rivals Australia and the importance of winning the mega finale.</p>

<p>"It (a neutral venue) is something different for both teams. No home support, although I think we usually get a bit more support anywhere we play," Rohit told the reporters with a smile. "But no, it's always been nice, coming and playing at neutral venues for us."</p>

<p>On facing Australia, Rohit told, "It's not just the two or three years of rivalry. There's so much history behind the two teams taking on each other. So that is what makes it more exciting, not just for the players but also for the people who are watching from all parts of the world."</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-will-win-on-day-5-of-wtc-final-vs-australia-ab-de-villiers-makes-bold-prediction-601158">India will win on Day 5 of WTC final vs Australia: AB de Villiers makes bold prediction</a></strong></p>

<h2><strong>'Winning the WTC final will mean everything to us'</strong></h2>

<p>In 2021, Virat Kohli-led India lost the inaugural WTC final to eventual winners New Zealand despite dominating the entire cycle. In the second cycle, India had to work hard to enter&nbsp;the final and will be determined to get past the Aussies. Captain Rohit emphasised how big it would be if India emerge victorious in the WTC final.</p>

<p>'It'll mean everything to us. This is the ultimate format, the most challenging format. So to come out on top in this particular format will be great because it's not the effort for a month or two, it's the effort that we put in for the last few years," Hitman concluded.</p>

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India will face Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final at The Oval, London on Wednesday (June 07). After losing the inaugural WTC finale, to New Zealand, India will be eager to get past the finish line this time around and win the coveted Test mace.

India will face Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final at The Oval, London on Wednesday (June 07). After losing the inaugural WTC finale, to New Zealand, India will be eager to get past the finish line this time around and win the coveted Test mace. India have not won an ICC title since 2013 and, hence, will be desperate to break their ten-year-long title drought. Ahead of the summit clash, Indian captain Rohit opened up on playing at a neutral venue, facing arch-rivals Australia and the importance of winning the mega finale. "It (a neutral venue) is something different for both teams. No home support, although I think we usually get a bit more support anywhere we play," Rohit told the reporters with a smile. "But no, it's always been nice, coming and playing at neutral venues for us." On facing Australia, Rohit told, "It's not just the two or three years of rivalry. There's so much history behind the two teams taking on each other. So that is what makes it more exciting, not just for the players but also for the people who are watching from all parts of the world." Also Read: India will win on Day 5 of WTC final vs Australia: AB de Villiers makes bold prediction 'Winning the WTC final will mean everything to us' In 2021, Virat Kohli-led India lost the inaugural WTC final to eventual winners New Zealand despite dominating the entire cycle. In the second cycle, India had to work hard to enter the final and will be determined to get past the Aussies. Captain Rohit emphasised how big it would be if India emerge victorious in the WTC final. 'It'll mean everything to us. This is the ultimate format, the most challenging format. So to come out on top in this particular format will be great because it's not the effort for a month or two, it's the effort that we put in for the last few years," Hitman concluded. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

'Winning the WTC final will mean everything to us': Indian captain Rohit Sharma ahead of Australia tie

<p>Ahead of No. 1 ranked India's upcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final versus Australia, former Indian batter-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar lavished praise on Rohit Sharma's batting in Tests. The veteran opined that the Indian captain's batting in the purest format of the game has become almost faultless in recent times.</p>

<p>Ever since Rohit was promoted as a Test opener&nbsp;in late 2019, he has cemented his spot in the red-ball format with five hundreds and a double ton. Even in the 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India, the Hitman ended as his side's third-highest run-getter with a best of 120 in the series opener. He has scored 650 runs at 34.21 in 11 Tests versus the Aussies and, hence, will be eager to get going this time around as well.</p>

<h2><strong>'Test cricket seems to be the most exciting format for Rohit Sharma'</strong></h2>

<p>Ahead of India's marquee finale, Manjrekar told on the Star Sports show&nbsp;<em>Game Plan</em>, "Keep his IPL form (in the 2023 edition, he ended with 332 runs in 16 matches) aside because he looked out of form in the last IPL as well but we saw the amazing batting he did in the first Test match against Australia. I believe the stage of his career Rohit Sharma is in, Test cricket seems to be the most exciting format for him just like it has always been for Virat Kohli."</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wtc-final-ricky-ponting-names-two-indian-batters-who-would-be-major-threat-to-australia-599127"><strong>WTC Final | Ricky Ponting names two Indian batters who would be major threat to Australia</strong></a></p>

<p>Manjrekar claimed that&nbsp;Rohit's batting is almost faultless right now but spoke about his knack for getting out on the pull shot; one of his favourite strokes. "His batting has become almost faultless in Test cricket at the moment. There is just one problem we have seen in Test matches - he gets out while playing the pull shot at times. They have bowled him a short ball and kept a fielder there. That is an instinctive shot," he asserted.</p>

<p>Manjrekar further added, "If you see in ODI cricket, his pull shot is extremely interesting. His backlift doesn't come from the top, so he can play the ball down. He has a very low back lift, he just picks up the ball and the bat then goes behind his back in the follow-through to give the power."</p>

<p>In the inaugural WTC final, the Virat Kohli-led Indian team lost to New Zealand by eight wickets and, hence, Rohit &amp; Co. will be desperate to get their hands on the coveted Test mace.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The match will kick off on June 07 at The Oval, London. The last time Rohit played in England, during the 2021 summer, he ended up scoring an impressive&nbsp;127 at the same venue,&nbsp;his first overseas ton in whites.</p>

<p><strong>India's final squad for WTC final</strong></p>

<p>Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, KS Bharat (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Ishan Kishan (wk)</p>

<p><strong>Standby players:&nbsp;</strong>Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar, Suryakumar Yadav</p>

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Ahead of No. 1 ranked India's upcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final versus Australia, former Indian batter-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar lavished praise on Rohit Sharma's batting in Tests.

Ahead of No. 1 ranked India's upcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final versus Australia, former Indian batter-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar lavished praise on Rohit Sharma's batting in Tests. The veteran opined that the Indian captain's batting in the purest format of the game has become almost faultless in recent times. Ever since Rohit was promoted as a Test opener in late 2019, he has cemented his spot in the red-ball format with five hundreds and a double ton. Even in the 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India, the Hitman ended as his side's third-highest run-getter with a best of 120 in the series opener. He has scored 650 runs at 34.21 in 11 Tests versus the Aussies and, hence, will be eager to get going this time around as well. 'Test cricket seems to be the most exciting format for Rohit Sharma' Ahead of India's marquee finale, Manjrekar told on the Star Sports show Game Plan, "Keep his IPL form (in the 2023 edition, he ended with 332 runs in 16 matches) aside because he looked out of form in the last IPL as well but we saw the amazing batting he did in the first Test match against Australia. I believe the stage of his career Rohit Sharma is in, Test cricket seems to be the most exciting format for him just like it has always been for Virat Kohli." Also read: WTC Final | Ricky Ponting names two Indian batters who would be major threat to Australia Manjrekar claimed that Rohit's batting is almost faultless right now but spoke about his knack for getting out on the pull shot; one of his favourite strokes. "His batting has become almost faultless in Test cricket at the moment. There is just one problem we have seen in Test matches - he gets out while playing the pull shot at times. They have bowled him a short ball and kept a fielder there. That is an instinctive shot," he asserted. Manjrekar further added, "If you see in ODI cricket, his pull shot is extremely interesting. His backlift doesn't come from the top, so he can play the ball down. He has a very low back lift, he just picks up the ball and the bat then goes behind his back in the follow-through to give the power." In the inaugural WTC final, the Virat Kohli-led Indian team lost to New Zealand by eight wickets and, hence, Rohit & Co. will be desperate to get their hands on the coveted Test mace. The match will kick off on June 07 at The Oval, London. The last time Rohit played in England, during the 2021 summer, he ended up scoring an impressive 127 at the same venue, his first overseas ton in whites. India's final squad for WTC final Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, KS Bharat (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Ishan Kishan (wk) Standby players: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar, Suryakumar Yadav WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

WTC Final: Rohit's Test batting has become almost faultless, opines Manjrekar ahead of mega clash

<p>No. 1 ranked Rohit Sharma-led Team India will face Australia in the upcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final at The Oval, London on June 07. The match will present India with another opportunity to end their ten-year-long ICC title drought. Since their 2013 Champions Trophy triumph, under MS Dhoni's leadership, India have not won an ICC title. Since then, they have ended as runners-up thrice (in the 2014 T20 World Cup, 2017 Champions Trophy and 2021 WTC final) and ended as semi-finalists on four occasions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Thus, India will be eager to lay their&nbsp;hands on their first ICC trophy since 2013 when they face second-ranked Australia in the second WTC final. Ahead of the match, the former Aussie opener decoded the reason behind India's struggles in winning an ICC event since 2013.&nbsp;Speaking to PTI, Hayden said that India's title drought is down to a mindset issue.</p>

<h2><strong>'It has to be a question of....'</strong></h2>

<p>"It's certainly not a question of skill. So, it has to be a question of just the opportunity and the mindset going in. I mean, cricket is life here, it is the DNA of sport and has no other competitors," Hayden said.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wtc-final-ricky-ponting-names-two-indian-batters-who-would-be-major-threat-to-australia-599127">WTC Final | Ricky Ponting names two Indian batters who would be major threat to Australia</a></strong></p>

<p>Further, Hayden also spoke about the pressure Indian players deal with and said, "In Australia, I could walk down the street and largely be unrecognised, especially with this terrible beard and hat on (laughs). But it's also got great competitive sports besides cricket. Rugby, football, our water sports, surfing, and outdoor sports. Here in India, it's very insular and there's a lot of pressure." He added, "It's the same with Pakistan cricket as well. There is one sport and it is cricket, so it's a mindset thing."</p>

<p>Hayden advised the Indian team to focus on the process and not think&nbsp;about the outcomes. "Being cautious about looking for the scoreboard and looking for the titles and just playing and being a part of the process, something when you look at franchise setups, Gujarat Titans have done really well this year and CSK have done very well. Mumbai Indians as well believe in a certain process. So, that would be my advice to Indian cricket to forget the outcomes, but buy into the process,"&nbsp;Hayden added.</p>

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No. 1 ranked Rohit Sharma-led Team India will face Australia in the upcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final at The Oval, London on June 07. The match will present India with another opportunity to end their ten-year-long ICC title drought.

No. 1 ranked Rohit Sharma-led Team India will face Australia in the upcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final at The Oval, London on June 07. The match will present India with another opportunity to end their ten-year-long ICC title drought. Since their 2013 Champions Trophy triumph, under MS Dhoni's leadership, India have not won an ICC title. Since then, they have ended as runners-up thrice (in the 2014 T20 World Cup, 2017 Champions Trophy and 2021 WTC final) and ended as semi-finalists on four occasions. Thus, India will be eager to lay their hands on their first ICC trophy since 2013 when they face second-ranked Australia in the second WTC final. Ahead of the match, the former Aussie opener decoded the reason behind India's struggles in winning an ICC event since 2013. Speaking to PTI, Hayden said that India's title drought is down to a mindset issue. 'It has to be a question of....' "It's certainly not a question of skill. So, it has to be a question of just the opportunity and the mindset going in. I mean, cricket is life here, it is the DNA of sport and has no other competitors," Hayden said. Also Read: WTC Final | Ricky Ponting names two Indian batters who would be major threat to Australia Further, Hayden also spoke about the pressure Indian players deal with and said, "In Australia, I could walk down the street and largely be unrecognised, especially with this terrible beard and hat on (laughs). But it's also got great competitive sports besides cricket. Rugby, football, our water sports, surfing, and outdoor sports. Here in India, it's very insular and there's a lot of pressure." He added, "It's the same with Pakistan cricket as well. There is one sport and it is cricket, so it's a mindset thing." Hayden advised the Indian team to focus on the process and not think about the outcomes. "Being cautious about looking for the scoreboard and looking for the titles and just playing and being a part of the process, something when you look at franchise setups, Gujarat Titans have done really well this year and CSK have done very well. Mumbai Indians as well believe in a certain process. So, that would be my advice to Indian cricket to forget the outcomes, but buy into the process," Hayden added. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

WTC Final: Former Aussie opener Matthew Hayden decodes reason for India's ICC title drought since 2013

<p>The cricketing fraternity is looking forward to the upcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final where India will take on Australia at the iconic The Oval, London on Wednesday (June 07). With India being without an ICC title since 2013, Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. will be adamant about breaking their title drought and emerging on top. In the inaugural WTC final, India lost to eventual winners New Zealand, hence, they will like to finish on top but Australia will pose a serious threat.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Facing the daunting Aussies, who have a fabulous record in ICC finals,&nbsp;the No. 1 ranked India won't have it easy. Australia's bowling attack -- especially their pace trio of skipper Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, etc. -- will be a stiff challenge for India. Rohit &amp; Co. also have a good bowling attack but they will miss the services of Jasprit Bumrah. Thus, India's former head coach Ravi Shastri believes India would have started&nbsp;on an equal footing, if not as favourites, had Bumrah been in the squad. He added that Australia are favourites but Indian players have the edge in terms of match fitness thanks to the recently-concluded IPL 2023.</p>

<h2><strong>'Match fitness might come into play'</strong></h2>

<p>"I would say if you look at pace attack, if Bumrah was there, I would say it was equal with an attack of Mohammed Shami, Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. But that Aussie attack with Starc, Cummins, may be the match fitness that will come into play," Shastri said at the ICC's 'Afternoon with Test Legends' event.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/india-vs-australia-wtc-2023-final-team-indias-road-to-the-summit-clash-598637">India vs Australia, WTC 2023 Final: Team India's road to the summit clash</a></strong></p>

<p>"Match fitness might come into play," Shastri reckoned. "You need some cricket behind you and staying in the park for six hours for five days is different from bowling in nets for two hours every day," he further opined.&nbsp; "Shami might be key as he has been playing a lot of cricket," Shastri further asserted. Shami ended with 28 scalps in IPL 2023 and won the Purple Cap. Thus, his form certainly keeps India in good stead heading into the marquee finale.</p>

<p>Shastri, who was in the Indian dressing room when Virat Kohli-led India lost a rain-marred WTC final in Southampton in 2021,&nbsp;also pointed out that the second cycle of the WTC has been much different.</p>

<p>"When you don't win, it hurts as you are not there to fill in numbers. But if I look in hindsight, compared to that World Test Championship cycle, it's chalk and cheese. There was COVID-19, quarantines. It was hard on players, 14 days in isolation and then seven days of training. Here both teams have had time to prepare and this one will be a good contest," he added.</p>

<p>Whoever wins the WTC final will become the first-ever team to have won all ICC events (ICC ODI World Cup, T20 World Cup, ICC Champions Trophy, WTC) at least once.</p>

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The cricketing fraternity is looking forward to the upcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final where India will take on Australia at the iconic The Oval, London on Wednesday (June 07).

The cricketing fraternity is looking forward to the upcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final where India will take on Australia at the iconic The Oval, London on Wednesday (June 07). With India being without an ICC title since 2013, Rohit Sharma & Co. will be adamant about breaking their title drought and emerging on top. In the inaugural WTC final, India lost to eventual winners New Zealand, hence, they will like to finish on top but Australia will pose a serious threat. Facing the daunting Aussies, who have a fabulous record in ICC finals, the No. 1 ranked India won't have it easy. Australia's bowling attack -- especially their pace trio of skipper Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, etc. -- will be a stiff challenge for India. Rohit & Co. also have a good bowling attack but they will miss the services of Jasprit Bumrah. Thus, India's former head coach Ravi Shastri believes India would have started on an equal footing, if not as favourites, had Bumrah been in the squad. He added that Australia are favourites but Indian players have the edge in terms of match fitness thanks to the recently-concluded IPL 2023. 'Match fitness might come into play' "I would say if you look at pace attack, if Bumrah was there, I would say it was equal with an attack of Mohammed Shami, Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. But that Aussie attack with Starc, Cummins, may be the match fitness that will come into play," Shastri said at the ICC's 'Afternoon with Test Legends' event. Also Read: India vs Australia, WTC 2023 Final: Team India's road to the summit clash "Match fitness might come into play," Shastri reckoned. "You need some cricket behind you and staying in the park for six hours for five days is different from bowling in nets for two hours every day," he further opined. "Shami might be key as he has been playing a lot of cricket," Shastri further asserted. Shami ended with 28 scalps in IPL 2023 and won the Purple Cap. Thus, his form certainly keeps India in good stead heading into the marquee finale. Shastri, who was in the Indian dressing room when Virat Kohli-led India lost a rain-marred WTC final in Southampton in 2021, also pointed out that the second cycle of the WTC has been much different. "When you don't win, it hurts as you are not there to fill in numbers. But if I look in hindsight, compared to that World Test Championship cycle, it's chalk and cheese. There was COVID-19, quarantines. It was hard on players, 14 days in isolation and then seven days of training. Here both teams have had time to prepare and this one will be a good contest," he added. Whoever wins the WTC final will become the first-ever team to have won all ICC events (ICC ODI World Cup, T20 World Cup, ICC Champions Trophy, WTC) at least once. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

WTC Final: Australia favourites on paper but Indian players have edge in...' - Ravi Shastri's big claim

<p>India are set to face Australia in the upcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final starting on June 07 (Wednesday) at the Kennington Oval, London. This will be India's second consecutive shot at winning the coveted Test mace after finishing second in the inaugural WTC cycle. Facing the second-ranked&nbsp;Australian team will be a huge challenge for India but Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. have a strong squad at their disposal to compete hard with the Aussies.</p>

<p>In their last series, India defeated Australia in the 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy at home (winning 2-1). However, playing the WTC summit clash at The Oval, London will pose a different challenge for both teams. Ahead of the finale, Little Master Sunil Gavaskar opened up on India's possible XI and highlighted a slot that might be a bit of a concern for No. 1 ranked Team India.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>'No. 6 is where there is just a little bit of a concern'</strong></h2>

<p>“I will talk about the batting, and that will be Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill as one-two. No. 3 is (Cheteshwar) Pujara, No. 4 is (Virat) Kohli, No. 5 is Ajinkya Rahane. No. 6 is where there is just a little bit of a concern,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wtc-final-australia-favourites-on-paper-but-indian-players-have-edge-in-ravi-shastris-big-claim-600700">WTC Final: Australia favourites on paper but Indian players have edge in...' - Ravi Shastri's big claim</a></strong></p>

<p>Gavaskar asserted, “I would imagine No. 6 would be either (Srikar) Bharat or Ishan Kishan. They are talking about Bharat because he has played all these matches so far. So will probably stick with Bharat at six,” He added, “No. 7 will be (Ravindra) Jadeja. If it’s a bright day and a bright prediction, then I think you are looking at Jadeja and (Ravichandran) Ashwin at No. 7 and No. 8. No. 9, 10 and 11 will be Mohammad Shami, Mohammed Siraj and maybe Shardul Thakur."</p>

<p>If India emerge on top in the WTC final, they will break their ten-year-long ICC-title drought. Their last major title came in 2013 under legendary skipper MS Dhoni when they lifted the Champions Trophy.</p>

<p><strong>India's final squad for WTC final:</strong></p>

<p>Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, KS Bharat (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Ishan Kishan (wk)</p>

<p><strong>Standby players:</strong>&nbsp;Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar, Suryakumar Yadav</p>

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India are set to face Australia in the upcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final starting on June 07 (Wednesday) at the Kennington Oval, London. This will be India's second consecutive shot at winning the coveted Test mace after finishing second in the inaugural WTC cycle.

India are set to face Australia in the upcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final starting on June 07 (Wednesday) at the Kennington Oval, London. This will be India's second consecutive shot at winning the coveted Test mace after finishing second in the inaugural WTC cycle. Facing the second-ranked Australian team will be a huge challenge for India but Rohit Sharma & Co. have a strong squad at their disposal to compete hard with the Aussies. In their last series, India defeated Australia in the 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy at home (winning 2-1). However, playing the WTC summit clash at The Oval, London will pose a different challenge for both teams. Ahead of the finale, Little Master Sunil Gavaskar opened up on India's possible XI and highlighted a slot that might be a bit of a concern for No. 1 ranked Team India. 'No. 6 is where there is just a little bit of a concern' “I will talk about the batting, and that will be Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill as one-two. No. 3 is (Cheteshwar) Pujara, No. 4 is (Virat) Kohli, No. 5 is Ajinkya Rahane. No. 6 is where there is just a little bit of a concern,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports. Also Read: WTC Final: Australia favourites on paper but Indian players have edge in...' - Ravi Shastri's big claim Gavaskar asserted, “I would imagine No. 6 would be either (Srikar) Bharat or Ishan Kishan. They are talking about Bharat because he has played all these matches so far. So will probably stick with Bharat at six,” He added, “No. 7 will be (Ravindra) Jadeja. If it’s a bright day and a bright prediction, then I think you are looking at Jadeja and (Ravichandran) Ashwin at No. 7 and No. 8. No. 9, 10 and 11 will be Mohammad Shami, Mohammed Siraj and maybe Shardul Thakur." If India emerge on top in the WTC final, they will break their ten-year-long ICC-title drought. Their last major title came in 2013 under legendary skipper MS Dhoni when they lifted the Champions Trophy. India's final squad for WTC final: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, KS Bharat (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Ishan Kishan (wk) Standby players: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar, Suryakumar Yadav WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

No. 6 is bit of a concern: Sunil Gavaskar on India's playing XI ahead of marquee WTC final vs Australia

<p>No. 1 ranked&nbsp;India are set to lock horns with second-positioned&nbsp;Australia in the forthcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final at The Oval, London, commencing on June 07. Ahead of the marquee finale, Indian captain Rohit Sharma revealed his top-most Test highlight in recent years. Rohit made his debut in whites in late 2013, which was Sachin Tendulkar's farewell series but has cemented his spot in the red-ball format ever since he was promoted as an opener in late 2019. He has been involved in several memorable wins for India in Tests but picked Ajinkya Rahane-led side's famous 2-1 win over Tim Paine's Australia in the 2020/21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.</p>

<h2><strong>'The way we played in Australia was probably the top highlight'</strong></h2>

<p>At an ICC event 'Afternoon With Test Legends’, also featuring Pat Cummins, Ross Taylor, and Ian Bell, Rohit said, "The last couple of years especially, after COVID-19. You know the times weren't that great. Especially the bubble, you didn't know what to expect. Stuck indoors and the younger boys were quite upset about that. But again, you need to beat the odds and come out on top. I thought the way we played in Australia was probably the top highlight, I would say. After losing the first Test match in Adelaide and then coming back to win then shows the strength and the depth of the team as well because we had a lot of injuries on that trip."</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/no-6-is-bit-of-a-concern-sunil-gavaskar-on-indias-playing-xi-ahead-of-marquee-wtc-final-vs-australia-600721">No. 6 is bit of a concern: Sunil Gavaskar on India's playing XI ahead of marquee WTC final vs Australia</a></strong></p>

<p>"I wasn't part of the first two Test matches. I was part of the third and fourth one. I know as a team what we were going through. So a really tough time, but we held our nerves. Like Pat just said, we came out on top but there was a lot of groundwork that happened behind the scene as well. A lot of the young players stepped in and turned things around for us. A lot of senior players were missing on that trip and that was certainly the best we played outside India. Again, the last series we played against India was another exciting series, difficult pitches and challenging ones. But we managed to go through that,"&nbsp;Hitman added.</p>

<p>Talking about India's memorable 2-1 win over Australia in 2020/21, the tourists were trailing 1-0 after losing the series opener by eight wickets following a debacle with the bat in their second essay (after attaining a 53-run lead). Following that, they were without regular captain Virat Kohli for the remainder of the series as Rahane took charge. With their back against the wall, India scripted an inspiring win to claim the series 2-1 with an impressive win in the second Test, in Melbourne, by eight wickets and a three-wicket victory at The Gabba, Brisbane in what was the series finale.</p>

<p>The likes of Shubman Gill, Mohammed Siraj, Hanuma Vihari, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rishabh Pant, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, etc. chipped in during India's series triumph.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It will be interesting to see who will be the players who stand&nbsp;tall for India in the upcoming WTC finale versus Pat Cummins-led Australia.</p>

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No. 1 ranked India are set to lock horns with second-positioned Australia in the forthcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final at The Oval, London, commencing on June 07.

No. 1 ranked India are set to lock horns with second-positioned Australia in the forthcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final at The Oval, London, commencing on June 07. Ahead of the marquee finale, Indian captain Rohit Sharma revealed his top-most Test highlight in recent years. Rohit made his debut in whites in late 2013, which was Sachin Tendulkar's farewell series but has cemented his spot in the red-ball format ever since he was promoted as an opener in late 2019. He has been involved in several memorable wins for India in Tests but picked Ajinkya Rahane-led side's famous 2-1 win over Tim Paine's Australia in the 2020/21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. 'The way we played in Australia was probably the top highlight' At an ICC event 'Afternoon With Test Legends’, also featuring Pat Cummins, Ross Taylor, and Ian Bell, Rohit said, "The last couple of years especially, after COVID-19. You know the times weren't that great. Especially the bubble, you didn't know what to expect. Stuck indoors and the younger boys were quite upset about that. But again, you need to beat the odds and come out on top. I thought the way we played in Australia was probably the top highlight, I would say. After losing the first Test match in Adelaide and then coming back to win then shows the strength and the depth of the team as well because we had a lot of injuries on that trip." Also Read: No. 6 is bit of a concern: Sunil Gavaskar on India's playing XI ahead of marquee WTC final vs Australia "I wasn't part of the first two Test matches. I was part of the third and fourth one. I know as a team what we were going through. So a really tough time, but we held our nerves. Like Pat just said, we came out on top but there was a lot of groundwork that happened behind the scene as well. A lot of the young players stepped in and turned things around for us. A lot of senior players were missing on that trip and that was certainly the best we played outside India. Again, the last series we played against India was another exciting series, difficult pitches and challenging ones. But we managed to go through that," Hitman added. Talking about India's memorable 2-1 win over Australia in 2020/21, the tourists were trailing 1-0 after losing the series opener by eight wickets following a debacle with the bat in their second essay (after attaining a 53-run lead). Following that, they were without regular captain Virat Kohli for the remainder of the series as Rahane took charge. With their back against the wall, India scripted an inspiring win to claim the series 2-1 with an impressive win in the second Test, in Melbourne, by eight wickets and a three-wicket victory at The Gabba, Brisbane in what was the series finale. The likes of Shubman Gill, Mohammed Siraj, Hanuma Vihari, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rishabh Pant, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, etc. chipped in during India's series triumph. It will be interesting to see who will be the players who stand tall for India in the upcoming WTC finale versus Pat Cummins-led Australia. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Ahead of WTC final showdown, Indian captain Rohit Sharma picks his top-most Test career highlight

<p>No. 1 ranked India are set to face Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final on June 07 at The Oval, London. The match will present India with another chance to end their ICC title drought since 2013. It won't be an easy task as&nbsp;Australia will give them a tough challenge. Ahead of Rohit Sharma &amp; Co.'s final showdown versus the Aussies, former England spinner Monty Panesar picked one X-factor player apiece from both sides.</p>

<p>Panesar -- best known for his 17 scalps in England's famous 2-1 series win over hosts India in 2012/13 -- feels Cheteshwar Pujara will hold the key for India in the marquee finale whereas he picked Mitchell Starc as Australia's X-factor player.</p>

<h2><strong>'My X-factor batter will be Pujara for India. Starc will be one to watch out for from Australia'</strong></h2>

<p>"The Indian top-order is in form. The conditions will be similar to the Wankhede pitch which is fast and bouncy. My x-factor batter will be Pujara because he has done so well in these English conditions for Sussex. He is the guy who binds this batting lineup together," Panesar told PTI.</p>

<p>"He is good with his defence and if the ball is going to do a little bit, he can negotiate the Aussie bowlers and when the pitch is flat, the others can cash in with some attacking cricket. You don't need to be an extraordinary wicketkeeper in England. He has been keeping and batting well. He should play ahead of Bharat," he further mentioned.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ahead-of-wtc-final-showdown-indian-captain-rohit-sharma-picks-his-top-most-test-career-highlight-600837">Ahead of WTC final showdown, Indian captain Rohit Sharma picks his top-most Test career highlight</a></strong></p>

<p>"For Australia, Starc will be the one to watch out for. He is going to be quick and he is going to get that late movement. He can change the game with one spell. He is the guy Australia will go to when they need a wicket," Panesar added.</p>

<p>India and Australia locked horns in the red-ball format recently, during the 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India. Back then, Pujara returned with&nbsp;140 runs in 4 matches, with a best of 59 whereas Starc only managed two scalps from an equal number of games. Both will be raring to go big in the WTC final and help their respective sides emerge on top.</p>

<p><strong>Australia squad</strong>: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, David Warner, Michael Neser.</p>

<p><strong>Standby players</strong>: Mitch Marsh, Matthew Renshaw</p>

<p><strong>India squad</strong>: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, KS Bharat (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Ishan Kishan (wk)</p>

<p><strong>Standby players</strong>: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar, Suryakumar Yadav</p>


No. 1 ranked India are set to face Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final on June 07 at The Oval, London. The match will present India with another chance to end their ICC title drought since 2013.

No. 1 ranked India are set to face Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final on June 07 at The Oval, London. The match will present India with another chance to end their ICC title drought since 2013. It won't be an easy task as Australia will give them a tough challenge. Ahead of Rohit Sharma & Co.'s final showdown versus the Aussies, former England spinner Monty Panesar picked one X-factor player apiece from both sides. Panesar -- best known for his 17 scalps in England's famous 2-1 series win over hosts India in 2012/13 -- feels Cheteshwar Pujara will hold the key for India in the marquee finale whereas he picked Mitchell Starc as Australia's X-factor player. 'My X-factor batter will be Pujara for India. Starc will be one to watch out for from Australia' "The Indian top-order is in form. The conditions will be similar to the Wankhede pitch which is fast and bouncy. My x-factor batter will be Pujara because he has done so well in these English conditions for Sussex. He is the guy who binds this batting lineup together," Panesar told PTI. "He is good with his defence and if the ball is going to do a little bit, he can negotiate the Aussie bowlers and when the pitch is flat, the others can cash in with some attacking cricket. You don't need to be an extraordinary wicketkeeper in England. He has been keeping and batting well. He should play ahead of Bharat," he further mentioned. Also Read: Ahead of WTC final showdown, Indian captain Rohit Sharma picks his top-most Test career highlight "For Australia, Starc will be the one to watch out for. He is going to be quick and he is going to get that late movement. He can change the game with one spell. He is the guy Australia will go to when they need a wicket," Panesar added. India and Australia locked horns in the red-ball format recently, during the 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India. Back then, Pujara returned with 140 runs in 4 matches, with a best of 59 whereas Starc only managed two scalps from an equal number of games. Both will be raring to go big in the WTC final and help their respective sides emerge on top. Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, David Warner, Michael Neser. Standby players: Mitch Marsh, Matthew Renshaw India squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, KS Bharat (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Ishan Kishan (wk) Standby players: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mukesh Kumar, Suryakumar Yadav

WTC Final: Former England spinner names India and Australia's X-factor for mega clash

<p>The stage is set for a blockbuster face-off as India lock horns with Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final at The Oval, London on Wednesday (June 07). Ahead of the marquee finale, many former cricketers and experts of the game have shared their predictions and ex-South Africa captain AB de Villiers joined the bandwagon.</p>

<p>De Villiers admitted that it is tough to pick a favourite between No. 1 ranked&nbsp;India and heavyweights&nbsp;Pat Cummins-led Australia but believes Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. will emerge on top on Day Five.</p>

<p>"Very difficult to say who are the favorites. Both teams have not been playing a lot of Test cricket of late but what I can say is that India in their last Test match at the Oval, have got a win against this very strong England team. They will be taking a bit of confidence from that," said De Villiers while speaking to JioCinema.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rahul-dravids-speech-will-be-this-wtc-cycles-moment-says-r-ashwin-ahead-of-australia-finale-601116">Rahul Dravid's speech will be this WTC cycle's moment, says R Ashwin ahead of Australia finale</a></strong></p>

<h2><strong>'India will come out on top on Day 5'</strong></h2>

<p>"I think India will come out on top on day five of the Test match. I think it might go all the way. It's a good wicket to bat on but I think the Indian spinners will come into play in the latter stages of the Test match," he further opined.</p>

<p>On Jasprit Bumrah's absence, De Villiers stated, "Bumrah is a big loss for the Indian bowling attack, but I do think that Mohammed Siraj is in the form of his life. He has done well there before. He has got that extra pace. He nips it around off-stump, and I think he is the biggest asset in India's bowling attack."</p>

<p>India lost the inaugural WTC final to New Zealand by eight wickets in Southampton in 2021. This time around, they will like to get past the finish line and end their ten-year-long title drought in ICC events as well.</p>


The stage is set for a blockbuster face-off as India lock horns with Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final at The Oval, London on Wednesday (June 07).

The stage is set for a blockbuster face-off as India lock horns with Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final at The Oval, London on Wednesday (June 07). Ahead of the marquee finale, many former cricketers and experts of the game have shared their predictions and ex-South Africa captain AB de Villiers joined the bandwagon. De Villiers admitted that it is tough to pick a favourite between No. 1 ranked India and heavyweights Pat Cummins-led Australia but believes Rohit Sharma & Co. will emerge on top on Day Five. "Very difficult to say who are the favorites. Both teams have not been playing a lot of Test cricket of late but what I can say is that India in their last Test match at the Oval, have got a win against this very strong England team. They will be taking a bit of confidence from that," said De Villiers while speaking to JioCinema. Also Read: Rahul Dravid's speech will be this WTC cycle's moment, says R Ashwin ahead of Australia finale 'India will come out on top on Day 5' "I think India will come out on top on day five of the Test match. I think it might go all the way. It's a good wicket to bat on but I think the Indian spinners will come into play in the latter stages of the Test match," he further opined. On Jasprit Bumrah's absence, De Villiers stated, "Bumrah is a big loss for the Indian bowling attack, but I do think that Mohammed Siraj is in the form of his life. He has done well there before. He has got that extra pace. He nips it around off-stump, and I think he is the biggest asset in India's bowling attack." India lost the inaugural WTC final to New Zealand by eight wickets in Southampton in 2021. This time around, they will like to get past the finish line and end their ten-year-long title drought in ICC events as well.

India will win on Day 5 of WTC final vs Australia: AB de Villiers makes bold prediction

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