WTC final | India vs Australia: Can India end 10-year ICC title drought?

It has been just over a week since IPL 2023 ended and Indian cricketers will be back on the field on Wednesday (June 7) in the traditional format of the game. The Rohit Sharma-led side will face Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) final at The Oval in London. India could be the favourites, thanks to its recent form, but it won’t be easy against their formidable opponents at a neutral venue. (Also read: All you need to know about WTC final)

India has won the last four bilateral Test series against Australia and the world’s top two ranked teams meet again for Test cricket’s ultimate prize – the equivalent of the limited overs World Cup. India will be hoping to end their ICC title drought, having not won a global trophy for 10 years. The last ICC silverware they won was the 2013 Champions Trophy (50-over format) in England under the leadership of MS Dhoni. Fans are hoping England proves lucky again.

In this podcast, Aprameya C of The Federal talks to senior cricket writer R Kaushik, who previews the WTC final. He tells us what team combinations will they go in, what are the pitch conditions, and how big a loss is it for India without Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah. Will India go in with both spinners – Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin? What will be Australia’s strengths and more? Listen to the full podcast here.