In this blog post, we’ll talk about the World Test Championship (WTC) Finals between Australia and India, and what the captains had to say about the match. We’ll also explore their opinions on potential changes to the WTC in the future. Let’s dive in!
Australia’s Victory and Captain Pat Cummins’ Words
Australia defeated India by 209 runs in the WTC Finals. After the match, the winning captain, Pat Cummins, expressed his thoughts during the post-match presentation ceremony. He mentioned that winning the toss and opting to bowl gave his team an advantage. He praised the performances of Travis and Smith, which provided comfort to the team. Despite some moments where they weren’t at their best, Cummins believed they played really well when it mattered. He also mentioned Scotty Boland as his favorite player and emphasized the importance of everyone playing their role. Cummins stated that they would enjoy the victory for a few days before shifting their focus to the Ashes.
“We made the most of the toss. We were certainly going to have a bowl. The way Travis and Smith played it gave us all a little bit of comfort after a pretty nervy morning. Travis has been brilliant throughout this whole campaign. He is always putting pressure back on the bowlers. We left day one on top of the game, mainly down to those two guys. At times we weren’t at our slickest. But when it counted we played really well. I thought a couple of days ago we could have really driven the game home but we let India a little bit closer. For the most part we were in control. Scotty Boland is now my favourite player. He just continues to be my favourite. Everyone just did their role. Coming off a bit of a break for most of us. We’ll savour this for a few days before we turn our attention to the Ashes.” – Pat Cummins
Rohit Sharma’s Reflection on India’s Performance
Rohit Sharma, the captain of the Indian team, shared his thoughts on their performance during the post-match presentation ceremony. He mentioned that it was a tough match and acknowledged their decision to bowl after winning the toss. Sharma admitted that they let themselves down with their bowling. He gave credit to the Australian batters, particularly Travis Head, who played exceptionally well. Sharma stated that it was difficult to recover from that setback. Despite their efforts and a good partnership by Rahane and Shardul, India couldn’t fully capitalize on the opportunities. Sharma expressed disappointment but also recognized the hard work and effort put in by the team over the past four years. He assured that they would continue fighting for the next championship.
“It was a tough one. We started well winning the toss and putting them into bat in those conditions. We bowled pretty well in the first session and then we let ourselves down a little bit with how we bowled. But again, credit to the Australian batters, in particular, Travis Head came in and played really well. That took us off guard a little bit and then we knew it was always hard to come back. We put up a show. We fought hard but congratulations to Australia. We spoke of a lot of things. We spoke of bowling tighter lines. But it didn’t work out. Things like that can happen. I thought it was a great fightback from Rahane and Shardul after being 5 down for 150. They stood up and put up a good partnership there and kept us in the game. We bowled pretty well in the second innings. Again we didn’t apply ourselves with the bat. It was a good pitch to bat on. All five days the pitch behaved pretty well and we didn’t capitalise. We’ve worked really hard for four years to make two finals. It’s disappointment for us. We would like to go one better. But you cannot take anything away from what we’ve done in the two years. It’s a great effort. A lot of players took part in those series. We’ll keep our heads high and fight for the next championship as well.” – Rohit Sharma
Both Captains’ Opinions on the Future of WTC Finals
Both captains, Rohit Sharma and Pat Cummins, shared their thoughts on the future of the WTC Finals during the post-match presentation ceremony.
Here is what Rohit had to say
- Quantity: Sharma wished for a three-match test series instead of just one final match, believing it would increase the team’s chances of winning.
- Planning: He suggested that the ICC should plan the calendar better to allow for a three-match final series.
- Timing: Sharma recommended moving the final to March or another month, rather than exclusively in June.
- Place: He expressed the desire for the final to be played in countries other than England.
- Scheduling: Sharma advised against scheduling the WTC finals immediately after the IPL, allowing players more time to prepare.
Sharma emphasized the importance of having more opportunities to win after working hard for two years, rather than just one shot at the title.
Here is Cummins response
On the other hand, Pat Cummins expressed his satisfaction with the current concept of the WTC Finals. He mentioned that while a three-match series would be nice, he believed that having one final match was similar to other major sporting events where one decisive game determines the winner.
What’s your take?
What’s your views. Do you agree with the Indian captain or the Australian captain or you have another view points on this topic? Or was this a question from Rohit for the BCCI? Should the BCCI also prioritize international cricket in addition to their private leagues only?
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