Australia’s decisive nine-wicket victory over India in the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on Friday in Indore helped them secure a spot in the ICC World Test Championship Final this year. With this win, Australia became the first team to book their place in the final of the tournament. Australia has been a dominant force in the tournament, having won 11 out of 18 contests, and currently sits at the top of the standings with 68.52 percent of their possible WTC points. Even if they lose the remaining matches, they will remain at the top position.
In the third Test, acting captain Steve Smith had nothing but praise for his team and coaching staff. He acknowledged the hard work that the players and staff have put in over the past two years to qualify for the WTC final. He said that it has been a goal for them for quite a while now, and they are excited to have achieved it.
The win in the third Test was crucial for Australia as they were down 0-2 in the four-game series. The team was disappointed with the way things ended in the last game and failed to take their opportunities. However, they were determined to regroup and trust themselves with what they were trying to do. The way they did it in the third Test was really pleasing, said Smith.
The win in the third Test was a result of the team’s faith in their methods and their ability to execute them for a longer period. Smith said that it’s about taking the result out of play and having faith in their methods for long enough. They are good enough players to get the results they are after more often than not.
The WTC final will be played ahead of the Ashes, and Smith said that it would be a great opportunity for their fans to lengthen their stays to come and watch them at The Oval. The team still has one Test to play in India, and they hope to maintain their momentum.
India lead the four-game series 2-1 and have a chance to book a place in the final alongside Australia with a win in the final Test in Ahmedabad. They will be forced to rely on New Zealand to help them out against Sri Lanka if they fail to do so.
The ICC World Test Championship was introduced in 2019 to give more context to Test cricket. The top nine Test-playing nations compete in the tournament, competing against one another in a league format. Each team plays six series – three at home and three away – with a total of 120 points up for grabs in each series. The top two teams at the end of the league stage will qualify for the final, which will be played at Lord’s in June 2023.
The World Test Championship has given Test cricket a much-needed boost. Test cricket had been losing its sheen over the years due to the rise of T20 cricket. However, the introduction of the WTC has given more context to Test cricket, and the fans have responded positively to it.
