After the thrilling Border-Gavaskar Trophy, both India and Australia will once again clash in the final of the much-awaited World Test Championship (WTC), which will be played at The Oval from June 7. Despite losing the series 2–1, Australia beat India by nine wickets in Indore to book a place in the final. (follow: india vs australia 2nd odi live score,
On the other hand, India qualified after Sri Lanka failed to beat New Zealand in the first Test played in Christchurch. Sri Lanka would have sealed a place in the final if they had won the two-match Test series 2–0, but with New Zealand winning the first contest, the second match, currently underway in Wellington, became irrelevant.
Both India and Australia are currently engaged in a three-match ODI series, after which stars from both the sides will take part in the Indian Premier League (IPL), which begins on March 31.
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With a tough schedule ahead of the WTC final, former India coach Ravi Shastri has an interesting suggestion about the players going to England for the championship.
Shastri believes that the BCCI should make it clear to the franchises concerned that players associated with the WTC should not be overworked. “Even during IPL, the board has to tell the franchises, listen, we need him, India needs him, so for the sake of India, it would be better if he doesn’t play those games,” Shastri said. The Indian Express On the sidelines of Legends League Cricket (LLC) in Doha.
India, who finished runners-up in the last edition of the Test Championship, will be hoping to clinch silverware this time around. However, the team will surely miss the services of star wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, who is recovering from his horrific car accident.
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Apart from him, Jasprit Bumrah’s partnership is also looking bleak at the moment and middle-order batsman Shreyas Iyer could be the latest addition to the list.
Iyer complained of back pain during the final India vs Australia Test in Ahmedabad, which ended in a draw. He was immediately sent for medical scans and did not come out to bat, and was subsequently dropped from the ODI team. If reports are to be believed, the scan results are not very encouraging and Iyer may have to sit out due to this.
Shastri also stressed on the workload factor. He said: “The amount of cricket has gone up. The rest period is getting shorter, that’s where the establishment and the players have to sit across the table. He needs to be told that you need that much break and give him enough time to play.
The former India cricketer and coach also said that during his playing days players used to play for at least eight to ten years without any difficulty.
