While the race for the final two spots in the 2023-2025 ICC World Test Championship points table is becoming a thriller as time progresses, New Zealand have recently received two huge blows. After losing their first game in a three-match home Test series against England, they now received another blow in the points table. 

Christchurch hosted the Test series opener between New Zealand and England, where England won by eight wickets. While New Zealand climbed to a challenging position in the ongoing WTC cycle points table after their historic whitewash against the hosts India in the three-match Test series, the Christchurch defeat was a blow for the Blackcaps, who are battling for the next WTC final. 

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England and New Zealand suffer three-point deduction

For maintaining a slow over-rate in the Christchurch Test, both England and New Zealand have been handed a deduction of three points each in the WTC points table and penalised 15 percent of the match fees from all players of the match. 

During the Christchurch Test, both teams were three overs short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration. New Zealand captain Tom Latham and England captain Ben Stokes both have accepted the proposed sanction, which means that there is no need for a formal hearing. 

Despite the Christchurch Test win, England are out of contention for the next WTC final. They have earned 102 points in 20 games in this WTC cycle, while they also faced a total of 22 points deduction due to slow over rate. Their latest points percentage is 42.50, and they are standing in sixth place, just below New Zealand. 

After losing the Christchurch Test, the inaugural WTC winners New Zealand were struggling in joint fourth place with 72 points after 12 Tests, and the points percentage was 50.00, similar to Sri Lanka. Due to the latest deduction of three points, the Blackcaps slipped to fifth place with a points percentage of 47.92 (69 points).

India, South Africa, and Australia are the present top three

India are leading the ongoing WTC cycle points table with 110 points after 15 Tests with a points percentage of 61.11. South Africa have climbed to second place with a points percentage of 59.26 (64 points) after winning the Durban Test against Sri Lanka by 233 runs. Meanwhile, the defending champions Australia, are in third place with a points percentage of 57.69 (90 points).

Pakistan’s chance to qualify for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final remain alive, but only just. Despite a rocky journey marked by a historic series defeat to Bangladesh and a tough loss to England, a recent turn of events has kept Pakistan’s hopes alive, although they face a steep and challenging path. To secure a spot, Pakistan must not only win all their remaining matches but also hope for favorable results from other teams in the competition.

Pakistan’s remarkable comeback and current standings

Following a series of disappointing results, Pakistan bounced back with a 2-1 series win over England at home, moving from eighth to seventh place in the WTC standings. This alone wasn’t enough, but the competition was turned on its head when New Zealand delivered a stunning performance, defeating India 2-0 in a three-Test series on Indian soil. With this result, Pakistan remains mathematically in the race, though their chances hinge on achieving a perfect record in their remaining matches and seeing other results fall in their favor.

Currently, India and Australia lead the standings, with India’s lead narrowing to a mere 0.32 percentage points (PCT). New Zealand’s victories have elevated them to fourth place with a 50.00 PCT, while Pakistan stands at seventh with a 33.33 PCT.

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What Pakistan need to qualify

For Pakistan to reach the WTC final, they must win all four of their remaining Test matches—two away against South Africa and two at home against the West Indies. A clean sweep would elevate Pakistan’s PCT to 52.38, yet this alone won’t be sufficient. Their qualification still depends on other top teams like India, Australia, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and South Africa losing key matches, which would open up the standings enough for Pakistan to squeeze into the top two.

The journey ahead is challenging, but Pakistan’s recent success against England and New Zealand’s unexpected triumph over India have reignited their WTC ambitions. For now, Pakistan remains in the conversation as they gear up to fight for the elusive final spot.

India is gearing up for a busy Test season with the goal of reaching the final of the World Test Championship 2025 (WTC). Led by Rohit Sharma, the team will play 10 Test matches over four months. The BCCI has required star cricketers and Test specialists to play in the Duleep Trophy, except for the legendary trio.

Currently, the focus is on the Indian white ball team as they prepare for a T20I and ODI series against Sri Lanka. Gautam Gambhir will lead the team as head coach for the first time. However, the national team will soon shift its focus to red ball cricket with a packed Test season ahead.

BCCI’s Duleep Trophy mandate

India is set to play 10 Test matches in four months, starting with a two match series against Bangladesh on September 19, followed by three matches against New Zealand at home. Then, the team will travel to Australia for a five match series to retain the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) and aim for a third consecutive series win on Australian soil.

Before this intense Test season, Indian cricketers will get back into red ball mode in the Duleep Trophy 2024 from September 5th to 22nd. This competition features top players from all six zones.

Preparation through Duleep Trophy

According to the Press Trust of India (PTI), BCCI secretary Jay Shah has mandated that even star cricketers must play in the Duleep Trophy. The BCCI wants India’s Test specialists to play at least one or two games before the Test series against Bangladesh. However, an exception has been made for Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah, who can choose whether to participate or not.

The selection for the Duleep Trophy will be done by the men’s senior team selection committee, with all Test team stars, except Kohli, Rohit, and Bumrah unless they decide to play.

Jay Shah, the secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), has confirmed that Rohit Sharma will lead the Indian national team in the current World Test Championship (WTC) cycle from 2023 to 2025

and also in the ICC Champions Trophy scheduled for 2025. In a video message Jay Shah shared recently, “I am confident that under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma, we will win the WTC Final and the Champions Trophy.”

Jay Shah’s confidence in Rohit’s leadership

Rohit Sharma secured his first International Cricket Council (ICC) trophy as captain when he led the Men in Blue to victory in the T20 World Cup 2024, co-hosted by the United States of America (USA) and West Indies.

Rohit Sharma’s path to captaincy

Rohit took over as captain of the Indian team in late 2021, following Virat Kohli’s decision to step down from leadership. Initially facing mixed results, including losses in the Asia Cup and the T20 World Cup in 2022, the team rebounded the following year to win the Asia Cup.

India had a remarkable journey in the 2023 ODI World Cup, winning 10 consecutive matches before narrowly losing to Australia in the final in Ahmedabad.

In T20 matches, Rohit successfully led India to victory in the World Cup, making them the first team in the tournament’s history to claim the title without losing a single game. In Test cricket, Rohit has guided India to series victories against Australia and England on home soil.

New Zealand is poised to commence their World Test Championship cycle with a two-Test series against Bangladesh in Bangladesh starting on November 28, and Captain Tim Southee foresees spin playing a significant role. Although New Zealand, renowned for thriving in pace-friendly conditions at home, has not played a Test in Bangladesh since 2013, their full-strength squad, bolstered by spin specialists like Ish Sodhi and Ajaz Patel, is well-prepared for the challenge.

The squad also includes spinners Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, and Rachin Ravindra, with Santner and Ravindra returning to the Test side after gaps since 2021 and early 2022, respectively. Southee expresses confidence in his spin attack, anticipating their success against a Bangladesh side without key batters Shakib Al Hasan and Litton Das.

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Return of Spin: Southee Anticipates Subcontinent Challenge in Bangladesh Tests

In the absence of Shakib and Litton, New Zealand’s formidable lineup, featuring Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham, and Devon Conway, aims to confront Bangladesh’s spinners, including Taijul Islam and Mehidy Hasan Miraz. Southee acknowledges the absence of Shakib and Litton but believes it provides an opportunity for others to step into those roles.

Southee expects a competitive showing from Bangladesh, led by Najmul Hossain Shanto, even without key players like Shakib, Litton, Ebadot Hossain, and Taskin Ahmed. The first Test is scheduled for November 28 in Sylhet, followed by the second in Dhaka on December 6.

Test Squads:
Bangladesh: Shadman Islam, Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Nurul Hasan (wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Shahadat Hossain, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, Taijul Islam, Khaled Ahmed, Mominul Haque, Hasan Murad, Nayeem Hasan

New Zealand: Tim Southee (c), Tom Blundell (wk), Devon Conway, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Ajaz Patel, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Kane Williamson, Will Young, Neil Wagner

New Zealand has announced its squad for the upcoming two-match Test series against Bangladesh, which marks the second leg of their tour to Bangladesh following a previous T20I series held in September. The Test series is set to kick off on November 28 in Sylhet, with a two-day practice match scheduled just before the official series opener.

Spin Focus: Inclusion of Mitchell Santner and Rachin Ravindra

New Zealand’s squad selection for the Bangladesh tour places significant emphasis on spin bowling. Notably, experienced campaigner Mitchell Santner and the promising talent Rachin Ravindra have been included in the squad.

Mitchell Santner, who last played a Test match in 2021, displayed an impressive performance during the Plunkett Shield season, claiming 15 wickets with an average of 26.00. Rachin Ravindra, a standout performer in the ongoing World Cup, returns to Test cricket after his last appearance in New Zealand’s home series against Bangladesh in January 2022.

A Strong Spin Contingent

Santner and Ravindra join a formidable spin unit that already features the likes of Ajaz Patel and Ish Sodhi. Additionally, all-rounder Glenn Phillips provides extra spin options for the New Zealand side under the leadership of Tim Southee.

Selector Sam Wells expressed confidence in the spin group, praising Rachin Ravindra’s development, his left-arm orthodox spin, and his notable batting performances in the World Cup.

Kyle Jamieson, who has recovered from back surgery in February, returns to bolster the Test squad, providing a different dimension to the pace attack. Unfortunately, New Zealand will miss the services of senior pace bowler Trent Boult during the upcoming tour.

New Zealand Test Squad for Bangladesh Tour:

• Tim Southee (c)
• Kane Williamson
• Tom Blundell (wk)
• Devon Conway
• Matt Henry
• Kyle Jamieson
• Tom Latham
• Daryl Mitchell
• Henry Nicholls
• Ajaz Patel
• Glenn Phillips
• Rachin Ravindra
• Mitchell Santner
• Ish Sodhi
• Will Young

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England cricketer Alex Lees has shared insights about his banter with Indian star Virat Kohli during the final Test of the series at Edgbaston in July 2022. Despite his limited international experience, Lees revealed that Kohli was trying to assert his dominance. He explained that Kohli was sledging Lees’ teammates and behaving in an unpleasant manner.

Not one to remain silent, Alex Lees, in light of Virat Kohli’s relatively poor recent form and the absence of a century for over two years, seized the opportunity to sledge him with the classic line, “I’ve had two kids since you last scored a century.” Speaking to the Telegraph, Lees explained, “Because I was an inexperienced international, he was attempting to assert himself. It was not very clever cricket banter. He was simply continuing in a manner he occasionally adopts. He had been getting on people’s nerves in the field while batting.”

Alex Lees regards Virat Kohli as a fierce competitor who is determined to win

Alex Lees also discussed his banter with Virat Kohli and praised the Indian batsman’s competitiveness. He mentioned that the best response to Kohli would have been to score a century in a winning cause.

Lees said, “He is just a human, and I knew it must be playing on his mind, which was likely the thing that would irritate him the most. Once I had a word with him, he seemed to lose his composure, especially when we resumed play after tea. He’s a competitor; he has a strong desire to win. I may never fully grasp the immense pressure of representing a billion people, but you can still be competitive without losing your temper. I knew I had gotten to him. The biggest disappointment for me was that I reached 56 and then got run out. The ultimate comeback would have been to score an unbeaten century and win the game, but I didn’t get the opportunity.”

AUS vs IND, Finals Preview

The match between Australia and India to determine who will win the World Test Championship (WTC) begins on Wednesday morning at The Oval in South London. With 11 wins from 19 games, Australia finished first in the WTC group stage. India has only lost five of their 18 matches in the tournament. Despite the fact that the Ashes series begins immediately after this match, Australia will be focused on this one. Over the last few weeks, the majority of their players have been acclimating to the conditions. India slowed down in the final two Tests against Australia earlier this year, but they should cause Australia plenty of problems. They will, however, need to be at their best from the start of this match.

AUS vs IND, Finals Details

Australia vs India – Finals

Venue: Kennington Oval – London

Date & Time: 07th June at 03:00 PM IST 

Live Streaming: Star Sports

AUS vs IND Venue Stats

AUS vs IND, Finals Pitch Report

In previous years, the Oval pitch has proven to be excellent for batting, particularly during the first few days. We anticipate a par score of 400 or higher in the first innings.

AUS vs IND Weather Report

The first three days of the game are expected to be dry, with highs of 23 degrees. However, rain is expected on Saturday and Sunday.

AUS vs IND Last Five Matches

AUS vs IND Head-to-Head Stats

Injury News

No Injury. Will be added when there is an update.

AUS vs IND, Finals Probable Playing XIs:

Australia Probable Playing XIs

Usman Khawaja, David Warner, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Michael Neser, Nathan Lyon

India Probable Playing XIs

Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, KS Bharat (wk), Shardul Thakur, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj

Topmost Picks for AUS vs IND Dream11 Prediction, Finals:

Top Picks – Australia

• Usman Khawaja – The left-handed opener has been in fantastic form since returning to Australia’s Test team during the 2021-22 Ashes. He hit 180 in the last Test against India.
• Pat Cummins  – Cummins is Australia’s 2nd highest wicket taker this season with 53 wickets in 15 matches. He is 4 wickets away from completing 50 wickets against India and in just 12 matches.

Top Picks – India

• Shubman Gill – The stylish right-handed opener ended the 2023 IPL as the leading run-scorer. He has scored two centuries from his last four Tests. The emerging star-batter has the perfect opportunity to score another high-scoring knock after he scored 128 against Australia in the last Test match.
• Mohammed Shami – The right-arm pace bowler finished as the top wicket taker in the 2023 IPL and got plenty of movement from a good length. He will enjoy bowling at the Oval in this Test.

Suggested Playing XI N0.1 for AUS vs IND Dream11 Team:

Alex Carey, Marnus Labuschagne, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Cameron Green(VC), Ravindra Jadeja(C), Pat Cummins, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Nathan Lyon

Suggested Playing XI N0.2 for AUS vs IND Dream11 Team:

Alex Carey, Marnus Labuschagne, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(C), Steve Smith(VC), Cameron Green, Ravindra Jadeja, Pat Cummins, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Nathan Lyon

Captain and Vice-Captain Options:

Captain – Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli

Vice-captain – Cameron Green, Steve Smith

Wicketkeeper – Alex Carey

AUS vs IND Finals Probable Winners:

The winner of this game will be crowned World Test Champions, and we have two fantastic Test teams vying for the title. In recent visits to England, neither team has won a Test series, but both have won individual Tests. We think this game will come down to who has the best pace bowling attack and Australia have the most depth in that department. We predict a close match, with Australia coming out on top. Considering the team combination, Australia is expected to win this match.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday declared that the World Test Championship finals in 2023 and 2025 will be played at the famous Lord’s Cricket Ground in London. 

“The IBC Board approved Lord’s Cricket Ground as the host for the ICC World Test Championship Finals in 2023 and 2025,”

stated an official ICC media release on Tuesday evening

The WTC final in 2021 was moved from Lord’s to Ageas Bowl, Southampton because of COVID-19, and it saw New Zealand overcoming India to be delegated as the inaugural WTC champions.

The ICC Board additionally endorsed both the men’s and women’s  FTP 2023-2027 and these will be published soon.

“Daniel Vettori and VVS Laxman have been appointed to the ICC Men’s Cricket Committee as current player representatives. Roger Harper has been selected as the second past player representative on the committee joining Mahela Jayawardene,”

stated the release further

The ICC Board additionally approved the process to elect the next Chair of the ICC which will happen in November 2022. The election will be determined by a simple majority and the term of the chosen Chair will run for a two-year span from 1 December 2022 to 30 November 2024.

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It has additionally been affirmed that India would facilitate the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup while ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 will be facilitated by Bangladesh.

“The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 will be hosted by Bangladesh for the second time, with the 2026 edition going to England for the first time since 2009. The next ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in 2025 will be staged by India and Sri Lanka will host the ICC Women’s T20 Champions Trophy 2027 subject to them qualifying for the event,”

stated the release

Rohit Sharma’s first Test as captain will also usher in a new era for India’s middle-order with Shubman Gill and Hanuma Vihari all set to become long-term replacements of veterans Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane. It is now clear that Rahane and Pujara won’t be called for the three Tests this season (two against Sri Lanka and one away game against England) where Vihari and Gill, along with Shreyas Iyer as back-up, will be the options. There are two vacant spots from the last Test that India played in Cape Town and as Virat Kohli plays his 100th Test at Mohali.

But the bigger question is who will be the one left out if all three are fit going into the first Test starting March 4? Since Gill is raring to go, head coach Rahul Dravid will perhaps like to use him as a middle-order batter, who can also be an enforcer if the situation demands. There is a distinct possibility that Gill might be used at number three behind Rohit Sharma and Mayank Agarwal. “I believe Shubman is India’s best bet at number three. Yes, he has opened but Mayank is there alongside Rohit and Shubman has the game to bat at that number,” former national selector and Test opener Devang Gandhi told PTI.

Gandhi, who was the national selector till January 2021, also said that Gill was initially being prepared for a middle-order role before he made his Test debut as an opener in Australia. “Why I feel the team management might be inclined to try him at No.3 is because when we fast-tracked him into India A system, he had a double hundred in the middle-order against West Indies A in West Indies. “Also having already opened in Tests, as No.3 he can also play the new ball well and start moving the game with his repertoire of strokes. You don’t want to get bogged down and with Gill, he can start pushing the envelope,” Gandhi explained.

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India would be looking forward to try new combinations for making future ready team

While Rahane was primarily a number five batter, there is a possibility that Dravid and Rohit might be inclined to use Vihari at No.6 and send the dangerous Rishabh Pant at No.5 for variation. “If you see our top-order, Mayank, Rohit, Shubman, and Virat are all right-handers. It’s better if at No.5 we have a left-hander to get the left-right combination going followed by Vihari at No.6 and Ravindra Jadeja, again a left-hander at No.7. It could be the way forward,” Gandhi feels. But what could be the rationale of using a player like Vihari at No.6 and not at No.3 as his technique is closer to that of Pujara who used to blunt the new ball?

“Firstly, Vihari has played only one Test at home and he, above everyone else, deserves a fair run. Secondly, if you see for India and India A, he has batted at No.5 abroad but in India, he can come in at No.6 when spinners will be in operation and the ‘SG Test’ ball becomes relatively old. “Vihari has a fantastic record against spinners in Ranji Trophy and that’s something the team management can exploit,” he felt. So where does it leave Iyer, who scored a hundred on debut? Perhaps he would need to wait.

He isn’t Rohit and Dravid’s first choice as both Gill and Vihari played Test cricket before him and are currently ahead in the pecking order. But if anyone reports unfit, he is certainly going to be the next in line.

Possible Team Combination: Rohit Sharma (captain), Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Hanuma Vihari, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin (fitness)/Jayant Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj.