The World Test Championship (WTC) final stands as a pinnacle event in the cricketing world, drawing anticipation and excitement from fans worldwide. It symbolizes the ultimate showdown between the top two teams in the championship, encapsulating the essence of Test cricket at its finest. However, a recurring question among cricket enthusiasts revolves around the consistent hosting of the WTC final in England only.

England’s reign as hosts of the WTC Final

The inaugural edition being held in Southampton in 2021 and the subsequent final between India and Australia took place at the Oval in London in 2023. Despite hosting it two times already, the upcoming summit clash in 2025 is also set to be held at the iconic Lord’s cricket ground in England, marking the third consecutive time England will host the decider of this red-ball format tournament.

Ravichandran Ashwin’s perspective

The consistent choice of England as the venue for the WTC final has raised eyebrows, prompting discussions within the cricketing community. Ravichandran Ashwin, the veteran off-spinner from India, recently joined the exclusive 500-Test Wickets club and voiced his ???opinion on this matter.

Ashwin advocated for giving hosting rights to countries like India and Australia, which are prominent members of the ‘Big 3’ club in world cricket. He emphasized that India’s Narendra Modi Stadium could be the perfect venue for the summit clash, showcasing the grandeur of Test cricket in the country.

“The last two WTC finals happened in England. Should we change the venue? Why not Australia or India? We have the massive Narendra Modi Stadium waiting to host another great final. What do you think about that? Another person suggested playing on the home ground of the table toppers. That is also a decent thought. But the Australian weather in June is a little dull, so we don’t know about that,” Ashwin said.

Also READ: Ravichandran Ashwin reveals how Rohit Sharma helped him deal wit??h family medical emergency during the 3rd Test

Ashwin’s confidence in Team India

Furthermore, Ashwin expressed confidence in India’s potential to qualify for the WTC final for the third time in a row and speculated that the final could once again feature Australia as the opponent.

“We still have two home series and an away series. Same with the Aussies. Looking at all of this, I feel yet another WTC showdown awaits us. Of course, we are at a transition, so our fingers are crossed,” the 37-year-old concluded.

WTC 2023-25 points chart

Presently, India leads the WTC 2023-25 points chart with a Points Percentage System (PCT) of 68.21, while Australia closely follows in second place with a PCT of 62.5%. Ashwin’s remarks shed light on the desire among players and fans alike to see the WTC final hosted in diverse cricketing nations, adding to the global appeal of Test cricket’s premier event.

Also READ: Team India’s Shubman Gill joins global singing st?ar Ed Sheeran for a game of cricket

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Former Australia bowler Glenn McGrath has shared his opinion on the controversial catch taken by Cameron Green off Shubman Gill during the Day 4 of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023 final.

Chasing the mammoth target of 444 in the second innings at the Oval, the Indian captain Rohit Sharma and ??his partner Gill provided a solid? foundation to the team in the run chase. They both put together 41 in just seven overs.

However, in the first delivery of the 8th over bowled by Scott Boland, Gill was undone b?y the extra bounce on the Oval pitch a??s the ball hit the shoulder of his bat when he was lunging forward. The ball then flew to the slip cordon, where Green dived to his left and took a one-handed catch.

The dismissal was referred to the third umpire, Richard Kettleborough, who took his time to review the catch from var??ious angles before ultimately giving the decision in favor of Green.

The decision sparked a debate on social media, with many expressing the view that the catch was not clean and?? that the ball had touched the grass. Several former cricketers also shared their opinions on the ca??tch.

McGrath during an interaction with PTI commented on the catch, stating that he believed most of those catches are out, and he was happy with the decision. He added that if India ha??d taken the catch, he would have been happy as well. McGrath clarified that he was not speaking from an Australian perspective, indicating ?that his opinion was based on the merit of the catch itself.

“I think most of those catches are out. We find ways to give it not out which I like to go the other way. So, I was happy with it. And if it was India taking that catch, I would have been happy too. I’m not just saying from an Australian perspective but that’s the way it goes.” McGrath said as quoted by PTI.

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Team India faced a devastating loss in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023 final against Australia, succumbing to a massive 209-run margin. This defeat marked India’s second consecutive disappointment in the WTC finals, following their previous loss to New Zealand in 2021.

The resounding defeat has ignited a frenzy of discussions on social media, with fans expressing their concerns and raising questions?? about the performance of the cur?rent players. The demand for a complete overhaul of the squad has grown louder, as the team has consistently faltered in crucial matches across all formats.

Offering his insights, veteran Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik emphasized the need for a fresh approach. Karthik pointed out that several players in the current lineup are in their 30s, highlighting the importance of looking towards the future. He urged the selectors to introduce young talents into the team, advocating for the inclusion of three uncapped players – Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sarfaraz Khan, and Mukesh Kumar.

Interestingly, Jaiswal and Mu??kesh were among the three reserve players selected alongside the 15-man squad for the WTC Final. Despite displaying remarkable performances in domestic cricket, Sarfa?raz is yet to receive a call-up for the national team, making his inclusion even more noteworthy.

“I think a bit of both. In many ways we know that a lot of them are in their mid-30s. So few questions there for Rahul Dravid, who he wants to keep and who he wants to move on with. Now other names that you said, Bumrah, Rahul, Shreyas Iyer and Pant. Iyer will walk into this team. Let’s make it very obvious. I think they warrant a place in the team. In this cycle, they have been one of the key reasons, why we are sitting here and talking in England today because that’s the kind of success they have helped India achieve,” said Karthik while talking on Cricbuzz.

“No. 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal. He has had a phenomenal domestic season. Are we going to find a place for him? No. 2 Sarfaraz Khan. Now that’s been a big name doing the rounds for some time now in the middle order. If you want to fit him in, who are you going to leave out and then followed by the Mukesh Kumars and the rest of them, is there a place for a new medium pacer to come in and stamp his authority over a period of time? Are you going to give him that two-year cycle?,” added Karthik.

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In a highly anticipated clash at the Oval in London, Team India suffered a defeat at the hands of Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023 final. With the win, Australia etched their name in cricketing history as the first team to clinch all majo?r ICC trophies.

Over the course of five days,?? Australia demonstrated their dominance, eventually securing a 209-run victory over India on Sunday. Chasing a target of 444, the Indian team were bowled out for 234 in 63.3 overs.

This defeat adds to India’s disappointment, as they had previously lost the inaugural WTC final to New Zealand in 2021. Refl??ecting on the ?match, Indian captain Rohit Sharma expressed his prefer??ence for having 20-25 days to prepare for such high-stakes encounters like the ?WTC final.

“Ideally, yes, event like this, final like this, you need a lot of time to prepare yourself and that is what we did the last time when we were here in England. We had good 25-30 days to prepare ourselves. And you saw the result. We were 2-1 up until that game (5th Test, Old Trafford) got called off,” Rohit told in the post-match press conference.

Notably, the team had a mere week to prepare for the final, given that the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 had ended on May 28.

Rohit’s comment regarding the need for extended preparation time drew a response from former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri, who disagreed with the captain’s remarks. Shastri suggested that if the team requires 20-25 days to prepare for a tournament of this magnitude, it may be necessary to consider sacrificing participation in the IPL.

That’s never going to happen. Let’s be realistic. You’re going to get 20 days, but if that’s the case, you got to miss the IPL. The choice is yours,â€?/em> Shastri said on Star Sports.