WTC Final 2023: Australia's strongest predicted XI

BCCI has announced Team India's 15-member squad for the World Test Championship final. The core of the team is pretty much the same as compared to the squad that featured in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier. One major change that has everyone talking about is the inclusion of Ajinkya Rahane. On the other hand, Australia also announced their squad for the same already, and skipper Pat Cummins will be back to lead them for the summit clash. There are hardly any changes in their squad from the one they played against India in the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy, as they have close to no injury concerns. They have all players available and hence their team looks pretty balanced as per the conditions. Australia have to also play The Ashes after the World Test Championship final. More than them performing in England, their recent form against India is a bit worrying. They have struggled against India both home and away lately. Now they have a chance to take revenge against them in the WTC Final. Australia are likely to go with five batters, one all-rounder, one wicketkeeper-batter, three pacers and one spinner. 1. David Warner David warner. (Photo Source: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images) David Warner is Australia's go-to opener in Tests. Though, he hasn't been doing quite well of late. But still, he has hunger left in him. He's a match-winner at the top. If he gets going, he can nullify any team's winning chances in a Test match. Except for his 100th test, Warner has been going through a rough patch. He was subbed out during the Delhi Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy due to a concussion. The injury forced him out of the Test and he then made a comeback in the Chennai ODI batting at number 4. In his absence, Travis Head opened and he had pretty good success. But Travis has better records batting in the middle order and he would go back there. Warner averages 26.04 in England which is quite below as compared to his overall average. He hasn't scored a century yet in Tests in England. He had a disastrous 2019 England tour. The last match he played there was at The Oval, the venue for the summit clash. The WTC final is a chance for redemption for him, as he's getting back to runs in the ongoing IPL, which will boost his confidence. 2. Usman Khawaja Usman Khawaja. (Photo Source: BCCI) In Usman Khawaja, Australia have found a much more calm and composed opening partner alongside David Warner. Though he averages less than 20 in England, he has had an impactful performance as an opener for the Kangaroos lately. He averages close to 70 as an opener. He's technically very equipped and knows where his off stump is. The only thing he may have to worry about is the ball going away from his body. Anyway, he's very strong on the pads. He got a daddy hundred in the fourth Test of the recent Test series against India in Ahmedabad. After making his comeback into the Test side, he's really making every opportunity count. Under any conditions, he trusts his defence, and thus, can bat for longer periods of time. He will be one of the players to watch out for in the WTC summit clash. 3. Marnus Labuschagne marnus labuschagne. (Photo Source: BCCI) Marnus Labuschagne has become the backbone of Australia's batting ever since he made his Test debut. Once he gets set, it's close to an impossible task to get him out. Earlier it was only about Steve Smith, but now, Marnus has joined him. Life will come to a full circle for him. He made his mark in England subbing out Steve Smith during the 2019 Ashes. Facing the likes of Jofra Archer and Stuart Broad at an early stage in his career has made him a man of steel. In the 2019 Ashes series, he scored 353 runs in 7 innings. Now, he is a more matured cricketer, having grown over the years. Against India, he hasn't stamped his domination yet. He would love to score on the big stage. During, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy he got good starts but again like Steve Smith he would be disappointed with his own performance. He will look to grab the opportunity with both hands in London when he faces Indian bowling line-up. 4. Steve Smith Steve Smith. (Photo Source: BCCI) If Australia's batting revolves around any batter, it is Steven Smith. He's a beast in Tests, probably the best Test batter going around. With a Bradmanesque average in the format, he has dominated Indian bowlers in the past. He averages 65 against India with 8 Test centuries. And in England, he has close to 1800 runs against his name. Last time, when he toured England for the Ashes, he arguably had the best Test performance by a visiting batter in recent times. He got 774 runs in 7 innings averaging 110.57. For a batter like him, it's his daily job and he would like to extend that run when takes the centre-stage in June. He had a below-par series with the bat earlier this year against India. He got starts multiple times, but couldn't capitalize on the same. He will be more hungry to score runs this time. The stage is set and big players like him thrive in these kinds of situations. 5. Travis Head Travis Head. (Photo Source: BCCI) The left-handed batter Travis Head is a genuine match-winner. He can play up the order, and come down the order. He can score runs quickly and he's a strong backfoot player. He averages 47.15 batting at number 5 at a strike rate of 66.50. And in this season, he's taken his game one level up. He averages 50.83 in the 4 Tests he has played this year thus far at an astonishing strike rate of 76.05. These figures suggest he can take the game away from the opposition in the blink of an eye. He has scored runs against India in India. He will keep that in mind while facing the likes of Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj among others. This aggressive batter can score runs quickly which is a threat to Indian bowlers. Although he has had some issues against swing, he will try to ensure that the Indian bowlers do not cause him much trouble by believing in his natural game and batting technique. 6. Cameron Green Cameron Green (Photo Source: Twitter) If any cricketer has grown by leaps and bounds in recent times, it has to be Cameron Green. The tall all-rounder made his international debut against India in 2020. He is in red-hot form with the bat in the ongoing IPL. He's growing in confidence and coming into his groove, right before the WTC final. Though he hasn't made his mark yet in Tests. Here comes an opportunity for him to be a hero. Australia look up to him as their future great all-rounder. He's primarily a batter than a seam bowler. Green has the potential to be a future superstar. Green bowls fine right-arm medium pace. He bowls with accuracy and control. If he gets any movement off the deck, he can dismantle a few. He will get the bounce at the Oval, which will surely irritate the Indian batters. 7. Alex Carey (wk) Alex Carey. (Photo by Nigel French/PA Images via Getty Images) Alex Carey is going to keep wickets for Australia. He has kept well for them thus far in his Test career. He comes in as a handy batter at seven. Though he bats higher up the order in white-ball games. Alex hasn't played a Test in England yet. But with the little Test cricket, he played against England in the 2021-22 Ashes, he can grow in confidence from the same. After a decent India tour, he would like to make a comeback. He got only 56 runs in 6 times he batted. But again, it takes one match to make a comeback and who knows it can be the one-off WTC final. He'll be roaring to go up against India. He's the best keeping option for them going around. And he is likely to retain his spot in the playing XI. 8. Mitchell Starc Mitchell Starc. (Photo Source: BCCI) Mitchell Starc belongs to the left-arm fast category. He's sharp and accurate. He provides the early breakthroughs for his team and has a good enough record against India in Tests. Though he played only one Test in the 2019 Ashes and then also he got 4 wickets. In total, he has 33 scalps in 9 Tests played in England. He will target the stumps from ball one. Starc has the ability to swing the ball and that will come in handy in England. He beats the batters with his sheer venom. He prioritises Test cricket and hence even withdrew his name from The Hundred's draft. This WTC season he has bettered his bowling. He's getting the shape right, and pitching it perfectly. The only concern for him may be his last outing against India at India. 9. Pat Cummins (c) Pat Cummins. (Photo Source: BCCI) Patrick Cummins is the captain of the squad. He is currently ranked third in the bowlers' list of ICC Test rankings. He's been in the international circuit for quite some time now. He's grown over the years and now he's the designated Test captain for Australia. He came with his boys to India but had a forgetful tour. He left midway to look after his ailing mother. He hasn't played any cricket since the Delhi Test and lacks match practice. Though a bowler of his calibre can deliver any day. He loves playing in England. He played in the last Ashes series and had a terrific time there. He got 29 wickets in 5 tests averaging less than 20. He has an unfinished job to do. There's no better place than England to get a victory against India. He can use the overcast condition in his favour quite well and he's known for hitting the top of off. 10. Nathan Lyon Nathan Lyon. (Photo Source: BCCI) Nathan Lyon is probably one of the modern-day greats to grace the game of cricket. The off-spinner has always troubled the Indian batters whenever he has played against them. He has snared 116 scalps against India in Tests - his most against any team in the Test arena. He doesn't possess or rely on too many variations. In Lyon, India always finds a threat. He has trapped them Leg Before Wicket (LBW) so many times. The current lot of India batters aren't that good players of spin and teams tend to exploit that. If there's some assistance in the pitch, he can chip in and play his part. Last time, he bowled at The Oval and got 4 batters out. So, he will have happy memories going into the game. And his recent 22-wicket haul in the recent series in India will increase his confidence. He can contribute with the bat as well. 11. Josh Hazlewood Josh Hazlewood of Australia celebrates after taking the wicket of Jonny Bairstow. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images) Josh Hazelwood is Australia's bowling horse. A tall fast bowler who can relentlessly bowl accurate line and length. Ever since making his debut against India, he has always performed well against them and already clinched 51 wickets in 15 Tests at a strike rate of 63.6. Comparing his overall Test records to records in England, he has delivered much better there. He had a decent outing in the only match he played at The Oval. He will look tease the batters by bowling in the channel outside off, an area where most Indian batters struggle, and produce chances in the slip cordon. It'll be an interesting passage of play when Josh faces the Indian batters in London. Josh has to care about the injuries he's managing. He already had two lengthy injury layoffs which kept him out of the India tour. He is representing Royal Challengers Bangalore in the ongoing Indian Premier League 2023.

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