"What happens if a team gets annihilated?" - Aaron Finch disagrees with Rohit Sharma's call for a 3-match WTC final
Former Australian captain Aaron Finch disagreed with India skipper Rohit Sharma's call for a three-match World Test Championship (WTC) final. Finch said a one-off final is "just the reality of scheduling", adding that if one team gets trounced or all three Tests are drawn in a series, it will be "a bit of a waste of time".
India lost the 2023 WTC final to Australia by 209 runs on Sunday. After the match, Rohit said a three-match series would give more "fair opportunities" to both teams if the stakeholders can find time to schedule it.
“I think it’s just the reality of the scheduling and the time constraints on fixtures at the moment," Finch told sen.com.au. "I’ve got no issues with it, I think if it’s drawn out over three Tests, what happens if a team gets annihilated? It becomes a bit of a waste of time. We all play sport for the wins and the losses… I don’t have any issue with it at all.”
A three-match final for the next cycle, i.e. 2023-25, doesn't look likely either. Last month, Wasim Khan, the International Cricket Council's (ICC) general manager of cricket, said one-off finals are "continuing to work as they are".
"Scott Boland was outstanding" - Aaron Finch
Aaron Finch also lauded pacer Scott Boland, who replaced injured Josh Hazlewood in Australia's playing 11 for the match and took five wickets.
Finch said he'd be happy to see Boland play the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston if Hazlewood isn't fit.
“He was outstanding, I think he’s well and truly sewn up that third quick spot in the first Test. I’m not sure of Josh Hazlewood’s injury return I guess, he’s had a couple of niggles that keep hanging around for him, so Scott Boland will definitely (play at Edgbaston).”
The Ashes will begin on June 16 and go on till July 31.