Australia vs India Match Prediction: Who will win today's WTC Final 2023 match?
India have generally dominated Australia both home and away over the last few years in the Test format, but the final of the 2021-23 World Test Championship (WTC) will be contested at a neutral venue.
The Oval in England will host the all-important summit clash. Australia first booked their place in it before letting India sneak through by surrendering the Border-Gavaskar Trophy held in the sub-continent.
It'll be the second bite of the cherry for Rohit Sharma and Co., who reached the WTC final last year under Virat Kohli but fell at the final hurdle to a resilient New Zealand side. Things won't be much easier this time around either, with the Aussies having the squad composition to make the most of the English conditions.
Both sides will be without key personnel. Jasprit Bumrah has been dealing with a back injury leading to an extended spell on the sidelines, while Josh Hazlewood's persistent niggles have ruled him out of the contest.
Scott Boland is a capable replacement, though, and India have experience in the form of Mohammad Shami and Co. to contend with Bumrah's absence. For Rishabh Pant, however, there can be no replacement in the realm of ideal.
Can India end their ICC trophy drought? Or will Australia pile on the heartbreak?
WTC Final 2021-23, Australia vs India Match Prediction: Pat Cummins and Co. start as the favorites
Much will depend on the kind of pitch rolled out at The Oval, which has been known to assist spinners more than the standard English venue. India have the option of fielding Ravichandran Ashwin alongside Ravindra Jadeja, should they view the surface as one that could grip and slow down as the game progresses.
While the lack of a second specialist spinner could come back to bite the Aussies in the WTC final, they more than make up for it with a lethal pace trio. Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Scott Boland complement each other quite well, and Cameron Green is a match-winner on his day as well.
Mohammad Shami's record in English conditions doesn't make for pretty reading. Several Indian batters have question marks over their form and their ability to succeed in swinging conditions as well.
The returning Ajinkya Rahane will have a massive spotlight on him, while the batting unit will need to somehow adjust to Pant's absence.
On paper, Australia seem to be the better side. Their players might not have racked up a great deal of game time in the recent past unlike their counterparts (albeit in a different format). However, they have a more settled unit and have more reliable performers in their ranks.
India's key to success lies at the top of the order. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill are more than capable of weathering any storm that comes their way, but Starc, Cummins and Boland will be anything but pushovers. A few early inroads could spell doom for the under-fire middle order.
While anything can happen in a game of cricket, Australia enter the WTC final as slight favorites.
Prediction: Australia to win the WTC 2021-23 Final.