The India captain Rohit Sharma has stated that future World Test Championship (WTC) finals should be played outside of England and should not necessarily be scheduled for June. India lost the WTC final for the second time in a row.
When asked if the fact that the WTC final is after the IPL will always make it more difficult to manage, Rohit responded that it wasn’t necessary.
Why after the IPL championship? Why isn’t it March already? We shouldn’t just play the final in June, Rohit stated. It is not limited to England and may be played at any time of the year and anywhere in the world.
Rohit was commenting after his team’s 209-run defeat to Australia in the championship game at The Oval. They lost to New Zealand by eight wickets in a rain-delayed final played at Southampton’s Ageas Bowl two years ago, in June 2021. At Lord’s, the 2025 championship game will also be played.
India had little time to adjust to England this time because they arrived directly from the IPL; in particular, Rohit commented about his bowlers’ need for more time to practice and adjust to Test cricket. They arrived earlier and fresher in 2021, but only because the Covid-19 pandemic had stopped the IPL that year in early May before starting again in the UAE in September.
Rohit even made a connection between the potential location of the final and the type of team he wants to assemble for the upcoming cycle. He replied, “I want to see where the next WTC final is being played as well,” in response to a previous query. Depending on where we play, we will choose the players we want to prepare and the style of cricket we want to play.
It is obviously difficult with a calendar that is now overbooked to determine where and when the WTC final will be staged if not in England. International cricket is under pressure unlike ever before as a result of the advent of three new local T20 leagues in the UAE, South Africa, and – starting next month – the US.
Finding a new window and, possibly, altering the international cycle as determined by the Future Tours Programme (FTP) last year would be necessary if the tour was moved away from June.
Four WTC finals will take place throughout the following eight-year international cricket cycle in 2025, 2027, 2029, and 2031. With the exception of the 2025 WTC final, the finals’ locations have not yet been selected, and while England is not a lock as a place, it has so far been regarded by full members and the ICC as a logical option of venue. An ideal conclusion to a two-year cycle is the northern hemisphere summer, and in England, there is the assurance of large numbers.
Wasim Khan, the general manager of the International Cricket Council (ICC), had stated before the final that “the way the cycle is set up we are always going to be playing it in the northern hemisphere summer.”
“A three-match series would be fantastic, but the key is finding the right time slot. For an occasion like this, you put in two years of hard work with only one chance to succeed.
Richard Sharma
“Southampton was the starting point, and from there, we looked at everything, making sure we offered a variety of sites given the situation in England. Although Lord’s was a possibility, The Oval was chosen instead. Right now, the UK works well with how the tournament is set up in terms of where games are played and where the final will take place. It is consistent with the northern hemisphere.
Along with Virat Kohli, who led India to defeat in the previous final, and more recently David Warner, Rohit lent his voice to the clamor for the final to be played as a best-of-three series.
“I would love that,” Rohit said of a three-match final. Is there a moment, though? The important query is that. In all honesty, a large event like this requires equal opportunities for all teams.
“A three-match series would be fantastic, but the key is finding the right time slot. For an occasion like this, you put in two years of hard work with only one chance to succeed. It’s not actually the case because you cannot build the kind of momentum required in Test cricket. Finding that momentum and that rhythm are crucial components of test cricket. Three-match series would be wonderful if it were possible in the upcoming cycle.
Naturally, the victorious captain was pleased with the idea as it is right now.
Pat Cummins affirmed, “I think it’s fine. “No issues. Although I believe that a 50-match series would be ideal, the Olympics only have one race left to win a gold medal. Finals are held during the AFL and NRL seasons. That’s athletics.
