6th June 2023, Mumbai: The highly anticipated World Test Championship Final 2023 between India and Australia is set to take place at the renowned Kennington Oval Ground in London, starting from Tuesday. Throughout its illustrious history, the Oval has hosted 104 matches, with the majority of teams choosing to bat first in 88 of them. Out of these matches, the team batting first emerged victorious in 38 encounters, while the team fielding first came out on top in 29 games. Over the past decade, teams have opted to field first in five out of the nine matches played, winning two and losing three.
In the last ten years, the Oval has generally provided a favorable surface for scoring runs, with an average run rate of 3.39 runs per over. Among the seven grounds including Lord’s, Old Trafford, Headingley, Trent Bridge, Edgbaston, and Rose Bowl, the Oval ranks third in terms of run rate.
However, bowlers also find some assistance on this pitch, as a wicket falls every 54 balls or after 30 runs. In the first two innings, teams rely on pace bowlers to take wickets and restrict the scoring rate, resulting in an average of 27.51, an economy rate of 3.19, and a strike rate of 51.45.
Spinners usually come into play in the later innings, taking a wicket approximately every 50 balls, with a strike rate of 58.8. Overall, the Oval has the best strike rate for spinners among the seven grounds in the last decade, along with the second-best average of 32.31 and the third-best economy rate of 3.29.
Looking at their previous records at the Oval, India has played 14 Test matches at this venue, winning two, losing three, and drawing seven. Their most recent match at the Oval resulted in a 157-run victory over England in 2021. On the other hand, Australia has competed in 34 matches at this ground, securing seven wins, suffering 17 defeats, and playing out 14 draws. In their most recent appearance at the Oval in 2019, Australia experienced a 137-run loss against England.
By presenting this information, it is evident that the upcoming World Test Championship Final at the Oval promises an exciting contest between two formidable teams, with both India and Australia hoping to add another victory to their records at this historic ground. The pitch conditions, favorable for both batsmen and bowlers, are likely to influence the strategies employed by the teams throughout the match, adding an intriguing dimension to the highly anticipated encounter.
Article by PRITESH PATEL