 "WTC Final")
The Australian team is heading into the World Test Championship (WTC) Final with the finest players that they could have had and cannot complain of missing out on anyone. It would be very hard for Team India to beat the Australian team in English conditions, which has an in-form squad.
But it doesn’t mean that this Australian side does not have weaknesses. There are gaps in the batting which can be exploited by the Indian attack. Here’s a SWOT analysis to take stock of their chances of winning the only international trophy that is missing from their cabinet.
Australia’s squad for the WTC Final
Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, David Warner
Strengths
A fully fit and fiery bowling attack
The biggest strength of this Australian side is the bowling attack they have assembled. They have Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood fully fit as the trio didn’t participate in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and have got rid of every injury they were carrying. Despite playing in the IPL, Cameron Green would be more than willing to go all-out with the ball in his hand as age is by his side.
Hazlewood would test the patience of Cheteshwar Pujara and Shubman Gill with his solid lengths while Starc would cut through the defences of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli with his in-swingers from outside the off stump. Pat Cummins and Green would be the workhorses. Nathan Lyon can then be utilised on days four and five as the south London wicket of Kia Oval tends to help the spinners once it wears out.
Fine balance thanks to Cameron Green
Therefore, these five bowlers are the best a team could have. They have seven proper batters in their ranks, thanks to Green being an all-rounder. Thus, their balance also becomes their strength. Marnus Labushcagne and Travis Head could roll their arms over as well, giving skipper Pat Cummins a lot of options if the pitch favours spin eventually.
Weaknesses
Gap in the batting lineup
Australia's biggest weakness is their batting lineup’s failure to deal with the Indian bowling. David Warner is not in the best of his forms in the longest format. His striking was not as good in the IPL as well, though he picked up pace later on. But he has not had batting practice with the red ball. If Marcus Harris is played in his place, then that could be a different case.
Steve Smith and Marnus Labushangne have been playing county cricket and are reaping benefits. But the likes of Alex Carey, Travis Head and Usman Khawaja haven’t had match practice recently, having last played competitive cricket way back in March and that too in India. So the Australian batting could be rusty and Indian pacers could attack this weakness to get ahead in the game.
The Oval is not Australia’s favourite ground
Kennington Oval is one ground in England that Australia doesn’t really like. They have played 38 Tests and won only seven. Out of those seven wins, only three have come since 1950.
They could be excited by the fact that most of the players who will be playing in this game have been a part of the side that won the 2015 Ashes Test at this venue. Starc, Lyon, Smith and Warner, the core of this team, were a part of that win.
However, the Aussies lost in 2019 at the same venue against England and Lyon, Cummins, Hazlewood, Smith, Labuschagne, Warner and Harris were a part of that team. Thus, the fear of playing at the Oval still looms and might build psychological pressure in the minds of the Aussies.
Australia’s predicted playing 11 for WTC Final
Usman Khawaja, David Warner, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood/ Scott Boland
