How Can Australia Defeat India in WTC Final?

Debashis Sarangi

image-liigz65wPat Cummins will lead Australia in WTC Final [Source: Twitter]

On Wednesday, Australia will take on Rohit Sharma-led India in the World Test Championship final at Kennington Oval in England. While India would be desperate to break their knockout jinx, Australia would like to add their maiden WTC title to their trophy cabinet. 

As the Aussies gear up for this game, let's see how they can beat India and win the second edition of the championship.


Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne to bat long

image-liigv1ubSteve Smith will be key to Australia's batting success [Source: Twitter]

As David Warner is struggling with his form, the responsibility of scoring the bulk of runs for Australia will be upon Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne. So, these two batters must be watchful and try to frustrate the Indian bowlers through their grit and determination. The longer these two play, the better it will be for Australia in this match. 


Travis Head and Cameron Green to unsettle Indian bowlers

image-liigx78jTravis Head could be the x-factor for Australia [Source: Twitter]

While Australia's top four will be subjected to the hard new ball, their number five and six- Travis Head and Cameron Green- will likely face the older ball in the game. 

Therefore, these two batters should try to take on the Indian bowlers and score rapidly in the middle phase. They form a lethal left-right combination, and if they stitch a quick-fire stand, it will put Australia in the driving seat. 


Dismiss Pujara and Kohli cheaply

image-liigy7rtCheteshwar Pujara has a stellar record against Australia [Source: Twitter]

Cheteshwar Pujara has always been a headache for Australia in the purest format. The gritty batter from Saurashtra has had prolific success against the Aussies, amassing 2033 runs at a magnificent average of 50.83. 

So, Australia should try to keep things tight and dismiss Pujara as soon as possible. The pacers should keep bowling around the off-stump channel, while Nathan Lyon should bowl with a leg-side-heavy field, blocking the mid-wicket to square leg region, his favourite scoring area versus the spinners. 

Dismissing Virat Kohli cheaply will be equally crucial for Australia, as he has been a proven match-winner over the years. If he gets out early, Australia can undoubtedly exploit the Indian batting line-up with the moving Dukes ball in English conditions. 


Don't allow Indian lower-middle order score vital runs

In the previous two editions of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the Indian lower middle order has frustrated Australia to the core. While Washington Sundar and Shardul Thakur played a pivotal role with the bat in India's famous victory in Brisbane, the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel demoralised Australia through priceless stands in the BGT 2023. 

So, Australia should focus on wrapping up the Indian tail quickly and prevent them from contributing crucial runs down the order, which plays a decisive role in this game of fine margins.