As the calendar flips to June 7, 2023, the heart of cricket, London, braces itself for an electrifying showdown. The World Test Championship (WTC) final will witness an intense battle of cricketing prowess between India and Australia, the first such duel in two decades at an ICC tournament.
The echoes of the 2003 Cricket World Cup final, where Australia emerged victorious over Sourav Ganguly-led Team India, still linger in the memories of ardent fans. Now, twenty years later, it’s time for another thrilling chapter in the India-Australia cricketing saga.
At the helm of the Indian team is none other than the charismatic Rohit Sharma, pitted against Pat Cummins, the formidable captain of the Aussie side. Their previous face-off on Indian soil saw India claim a hard-fought victory in a four-Test series with a 2-1 margin.
As the stage shifts to England, the teams must adapt to a vastly different cricketing landscape. The Kennington Oval’s pitch in London, known for favouring pacers, presents a stark contrast to Indian wickets.
Yet, for Rohit Sharma, this change brings a sense of anticipation rather than apprehension. His spectacular performance at the same venue in 2021, which bagged him the Man of the Match award, is a testament to his ability to excel in these conditions. Rohit will surely be eager to recreate the magic of his 11 & 127 run-knock against England, especially since it marked his first Test century outside India.
As we gear up for this exciting encounter, let’s delve into the potential records that Sharma could shatter in the upcoming match.
Record #1: Outdoing the Prince of Kolkata In the memorable 2000 ICC Knockout Trophy final, Sourav Ganguly set a benchmark for Indian skippers with his stellar 117-run innings against New Zealand. If Rohit reproduces a performance akin to his 127-run feat at Kennington Oval, he could surpass Ganguly’s score, setting a new record for an Indian captain in ICC tournament finals.
Record #2: Raising the Bar in WTC Finals Kane Williamson, the New Zealand captain, holds the record for the highest individual score by a captain in WTC finals, a match-winning 52 runs against India in 2021. If Sharma can muster more than 52 runs in either of his innings, he would outdo Williamson, etching a new high score by a captain in WTC finals.
Record #3: Hitting the Maximum Rohit Sharma, known for his knack of dispatching the ball beyond the boundary line, stands a chance to make another record. The title for the most sixes in WTC finals is currently held by Tim Southee of New Zealand, who hit two sixes against India in 2021. If Sharma sends the ball over the ropes thrice in the final, he would leapfrog Southee, claiming the record for the most sixes by a batter in World Test Championship finals.
As we draw closer to the grand showdown, anticipation is high for the records that could be rewritten and the history that could be made.
