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Australia and India do battle in the final of the ICC World Test Championship at The Oval. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 7:30pm (AEST).
After a gripping, controversial and tense series earlier this year, Australia and India meet in a one-off Test to decide which nation can lay claim to being the best current international team in the longest form of the game.
The Aussies have won just seven of 38 Tests at the Oval throughout history and India has fared as poorly, with just two victories in 14 Tests against England at the venue. The venue does usually provide some assistance to the spinners, although the conditions overall with potentially be a little more similar to an Australian surface than what the Indians generally play on at home.
The winner will take home $2.4 million from the match and the loser pockets half that amount, in what is the second big challenge of the Australians’ year, with the Ashes looming in the near future.
Team selection sees the Indian squad somewhat depleted, with Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer all remaining on the long-term injury list. However, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara will be there to anchor the batting, while Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj will be key men with the ball.
For the Aussies, Josh Hazlewood has failed in his attempt to be ready for the match, with Scott Boland the preferred man for the job. Elsewhere, the Australians look settled, with the top six unlikely to change and weight of expectation to continue to place David Warner under immense pressure.
Prediction
India has had the wood on the Aussies in recent times, yet the absence of Bumrah is enormous and should the weather remain dry, the pitch is likely to play into the hands of the Australians.
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India’s batting line-up against a swinging Duke ball could be problematic, with the Aussies certain to test them in that area.
Australia to win late on the fourth day
Game information
Venue: The Oval, London First ball: 7:30pm (AEST) TV: Seven Network Streaming: 7 Plus Betting: Australia $1.88, draw $5.50, India $2.85 – odds via PlayUp
Teams
Australia
Usman Khawaja, David Warner, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland.
