Are India the Team to Beat in the ICC Test World Championship

Sep 24, 2019 at 1:33 PM

facebook iconlinkedin iconmail icontwitter iconWhatsApp iconTelegram icon
Are India the Team to Beat in the ICC Test World Championship

For anyone looking ahead to the final of the ICC Test Championship and seeking to predict the winner, two things are evident. Firstly, India clearly look like the team to beat. But there are also four teams waiting in the wings that all feel they can beat India on their day at Lords in 2021.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Happy birthday Ishant Sharma! What a great early birthday present this was ? #WIvIND #lovecricket #cricket

A post shared by ICC (@icc) on Sep 1, 2019 at 6:00pm PDT

India top the test rankings

After India opened their account with a pair of comfortable victories in the West Indies, they already top the table in the inaugural ICC Test Championship. For the best-ranked test team in the world, winning a series away from home puts them exactly where they want to be. Their strength comes in the guise of an almost never-ending line-up of batsmen, but it can be cemented by the form of opener Rohit Sharma supporting Virat Kohli, Ajinkaya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara.

Read More: Ex-Test Opener Madhav Apte Passes Away At The Age Of 86

Australian bowling attack a threat anywhere

Australia has one of the fastest and most potent bowling attacks in the world. In Pat Cummins, they have a player who can bowl to a line and length straight from the playbook of the legendary Glenn McGrath. And he’s ten miles per hour quicker. Furthermore, the Australian policy of rotating their bowlers has meant a fresh impetus in almost every test match they start with James Pattinson, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Marsh and the experienced Peter Siddle. Alongside this formidable bowling attack is the mercurial talent that is Steve Smith, whose recent record-breaking performances in the Ashes, in an average Australian batting line-up, meant Australia comfortably retained the Ashes in England this summer.

South Africa and New Zealand an ever-present challenge

In all forms of the game, New Zealand have shown themselves to be a dominating force. Their forthcoming test series against England in the winter will demonstrate much of their chances in this long competition with captain Kane Williamson at the heart of a strong batting order.

South Africa, currently third in the Test Rankings, much like New Zealand, will rely on their home form to carry them through. They face India next and it will prove if they are a force to be reckoned with or only serve to confirm India’s status as favourites in the championship.

Read More: England Name Test, T20I Squads For New Zealand Tour, Drop Jonny Bairstow

England considered dark horses

With the emergence of Jofra Archer, England may yet prove the dark horses in this competition. They managed a draw in the Ashes when facing not only the best batsman in the world in the form of Smith but also the best bowling attack in the world. Archer came of age in the Test arena during the Ashes, and England now look to have the firepower to take the 20 wickets needed to win a test match. But do they have the batting line-up to regularly score 400 plus?

The odds for this tournament will fluctuate as it nears its conclusion and there will be some upsets along the way. For all cricket punters using a risk-free bet is a way to hedge the downside but keep the upside when betting on the forthcoming test series around the world over the next two years. India will see a home series win against the South Africans as a key step in being confirmed the undisputed best test team in the world.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and the West Indies will need some strong performances on the road to elevate themselves even beyond the four best challengers to India’s claim. However, if India are to prevail, they’ll need to reach Lords in 2021 after completing six test series across a two-year cycle and a lot can happen in that time in terms of form and long-term consistency.

Related Article
NZ vs BAN Dream11 Prediction, Fantasy Cricket Tips, Dream11 Team, Playing XI, Pitch Report and Injury Update – Bangladesh tour of New Zealand, 2022
NZ vs BAN Dream11 Prediction, Fantasy Cricket Tips, Dream11 Team, Playing XI, Pitch Report and Injury Update – Bangladesh tour of New Zealand, 2022

Jan 8, 2022, 2:36 PM


England Appoint Jeetan Patel As Spin Consultant For T20I Series Against New Zealand
England Appoint Jeetan Patel As Spin Consultant For T20I Series Against New Zealand

Oct 18, 2019, 12:46 AM


Are India the Team to Beat in the ICC Test World Championship
Are India the Team to Beat in the ICC Test World Championship

Sep 23, 2019, 5:15 PM


ICC World Cup 2019: Nasser Hussain Names Four Teams for the Title Triumph
ICC World Cup 2019: Nasser Hussain Names Four Teams for the Title Triumph

May 12, 2019, 11:46 AM


Breaking: New Zealand Announce Their Squad For ICC World Cup 2019
Breaking: New Zealand Announce Their Squad For ICC World Cup 2019

Apr 3, 2019, 5:54 AM


India vs New Zeland 2019: Black Caps Seal T20I series 2-1 in Hamilton
India vs New Zeland 2019: Black Caps Seal T20I series 2-1 in Hamilton

Feb 10, 2019, 3:52 PM


Desktop Banner
Mobile Banner