India and Australia are gearing up for the ultimate face-off of the World Test Championship. It will be held at The Oval from June 07, 2023, to June 11, 2023. India is appearing in the finals for WTC for the second time. They previously lost to New Zealand. However, here comes a chance to get their hands at the title against the side they beat while hosting them for a 4-test series.
Ahead of the WTC 2023, Josh Hazlewood spared a few minutes to interact with the media. The core focus was on understanding what makes Virat Kohli the best player in the world. Coming along was a detailed insight into understanding the level of impact that right-arm bowler Siraj could have on them.
Acknowledging that Kohli is indeed the best batter out there, Josh said that he stands out of the crowd purely by his work ethic. Kohli’s RCB teammate in the Indian Premier League said that the former Indian skipper could be seen on the training field before everyone else, leaving the space only after he is done, which is pretty much after others.
He has further acknowledged that Virat pays a lot of attention to his fitness, followed by skill work and fielding. The intensity he trains at, added Australian fast-medium bowler, is something that can leak and help others improve their game.
Fairly so; even on the field, Kohli can be seen encouraging players no matter how bad the situation gets. As for his fielding, no player can come remotely close to his energy during cricket.
Siraj did not go unnoticed. Josh said that he has the potential to disrupt the entire batting line-up of Pat Cummins’s side. Hazlewood has seen him play for RCB. While he arrived late at the party, there was a lot to learn about Siraj picking wickets off their opponents during the IPL. Overall, he managed to claim 19 wickets in 14 innings.
Often addressed as Miyan, Siraj was nearly leading the leaderboard in the Premier League for Bangalore, including his stint at Chinnaswamy for an economy in the range of 6-6.5.
His control was great, appreciated by Josh, who is now eyeing to make a comeback for his country in the final face-off against India for the World Test Championship. Hazlewood is going to be a key player for Australia. He has a better record versus India than any other country.
He has five 5-wicket hauls against India, more than any other country. Plus, his record in England is impressive, with the bowler picking 36 wickets in just 8 matches with an average of 23.58. This made him one of the star players at most of the cricket betting sites.
Australia lost to India in the 4-test match series by 2-1. The concluding test match was tied by Australia. Shubham Gill and Virat Kohli registered centuries for the 2nd and 4th batters in the line-up. Virat Kohli brought a total of 186 runs, while Gill knocked up 128 runs off 235 balls.
Those were Indian conditions. England will be a neutral venue for both sides. India looks to ride high on its selected squad, and so does Australia. Come June 07, 2023, and let the WTC Final 2023 begin.
