Since the International Cricket Council (ICC) rewarded England with the World Test Championship (WTC) finals for the next three seasons, questions and controversies have started to grow on whether India should have been given a chance, along with Australia, to host the final of the tournament. The former leader, Rohit Sharma, also asked the question of why the tournament gets staged only in England in June.

However, the former England batter, Kevin Pietersen, has sued his social media to make a huge statement as he felt that this country would be the rightful place to house the next three seasons’ final of the WTC. To back up the words, the South Africa-born guaranteed the full houses for the first four days of a red-ball fixture.

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‘England is the rightful place to house the next 3 cycles of the World Test Championship Finals. It’s the only country that can guarantee full houses for the first 4 days.’ Pietersen expressed on his X handle, formerly known as Twitter. These remarks came after the final between South Africa and Australia recorded the highest-ever viewership on digital with 225 million views.

Former England player drops huge statement on England hosting three finals of upcoming WTC cycles

The venue for the three finals of the championship has yet to be confirmed. But looking at the history and prestige suggests that Lord’s will be a strong contender to host the game in the next three editions. However, the north venues will remain in contention with no Ashes Test scheduled in 2027 in the north of Nottingham.

England is the rightful place to house the next 3 cycles of the World Test Championship Finals. It’s the only country that can guarantee full houses for the first 4 days.

— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) July 22, 2025

One of the vital reasons for England to get the opportunity is the weather, which is well-suited to the game in June. More importantly, the time zone is friendly for the broadcasters, who enjoy a heavy telecast in India during the afternoon. In India, it’s hard to attract a certain amount of fans if their country doesn’t qualify for the final.

Ticket-selling is very important for these prospects. In the Lord’s final of the 2025 season, the MCC, which cut the ticket price at Lord’s, saw more than 75000 fans turn up in the first three days. It perhaps remains the last country where the charm of the longest format is yet to die, even for a Test match between two neutral sides.  

The International Cricket Council's (ICC) World Test Championship (WTC), a two-year-long cycle of test cricket, was introduced in 2019 to guarantee relevance to the deteriorating health of the format. Its purpose, moreover, was also to bring relevance to the bilateral test cricket series by offering points for every match won. With nine top teams competing against each other across six series, 3 home and 3 away, it bridged the gap between the big three (Australia, India, and England) and the rest of the full member nations. Its third tournament cycle recently came to a fitting culmination, where the top two teams of the term locked horns in a one-off title decider. South Africa defeated the defending champions, Australia, against all the odds, in an intriguing finale at the 'Home of Cricket', Lord's, London, United Kingdom.

Having entered the final as the underdogs, though finishing at first in the points table, the Proteas were against the grit and dogged might of the Aussies. For most parts of the match, the former were behind their opponent. Conceding a first innings lead of 74 runs and being set an uphill fourth innings target of 282 to chase by the Australians, the South African team displayed immense resolve, fight, determination, and character. Down and out with their backs against the wall, the side from the rainbow nation made a mockery of the target and crossed the finishing line at last. This finally ended their 27-year wait for a senior men's ICC title, having been on the other side since 1998, while enduring profound grief, pain, silence, and unimaginable heartbreaks. Their elegant opener, Aiden Markram, produced a scintillating, player-of-the-match performance of 136 runs and anchored the chase with great support from his fellow batters.

At the heart of winning championships is usually the skipper of a team, who not only leads his/her troops from the front but also walks the talk in setting up visionary goals, and creating a conducive and inclusive culture for all. Besides his primary role of batting or bowling, a captain has to be accountable for the whole group and is the face of the team. In this context, the victorious Proteas skipper, Temba Bavuma, brings with him inspirational tales from his cricketing journey so far. Having battled racism, body-shaming, and doubters, he shut them all down with his leadership wits and batting prowess. Producing a masterclass in captaincy in this WTC cycle, Temba chartered his legacy and eventually became the owner of a few records as well. However, it is not just about him, but rather captains in general and then the top five of them in the 2023-25 period (in an array of win percentages). 

See Also: Dale Steyn emotional reaction after South Africa's WTC final win

Temba Bavuma

The 35-year-old test skipper of the South African team is inarguably the most successful captain in the 2023-25 cycle. The newly crowned WTC winners have had a terrific and memorable run under him. He led them to their elusive ICC title, ending a 27-year wait for a major trophy. In this period, Bavuma led his nation in eight matches, winning an astonishing seven and drawing the remaining one against the West Indies. His unbeaten record was a testament to the Proteas side lifting the Test Mace at Lord's. Moreover, he has been on a roll, claiming the most wins (9) in the first ten tests as captain. His clinical captaincy duties complemented his batting, too, as he finished the cycle with the second-best average (59.25 in 13 innings). Temba remained unbroken, unconquered, and undefeated this term. 

Pat Cummins

The Australian captain finished this WTC cycle with nine wins in sixteen matches. This included a memorable Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) series 2024-25 win over India, played down under. The 32-year-old's formidable Aussie side entered the 2023-25 final against South Africa not only as the second-placed team in the points tally, but also as the defending champions. In June 2023, they had defeated India in the final at the Oval, London. Pat's captaincy has always been path-breaking. Being a fast bowler skipper is not everyone's cup of tea, but Cummins took 80 wickets in this phase, the most by any player. 

Ben Stokes

Ben Stokes, the captain of the English red-ball team and one of the greatest all-rounders in the game of cricket, is at the helm of the format. Quite vocal about it, he has been a driving force towards its sustainability, like a true servant. The legendary player is proving to be one of the most dominating skippers for his national side. England usually plays the maximum number of tests among all the teams. In the 2023-25 WTC cycle, Stokes led the 'Three Lions' to nine victories in seventeen test matches but lost seven of them as well. Under him, England were part of some spine-tingling and thrilling wins. They won series in Pakistan and New Zealand. Despite initially trailing 0-2 at home, his side came back to level the Ashes series against their arch-rivals, Australia, in a sensational fashion in 2023. England finished fifth in the points table and failed to occupy either of the top two spots available for the third term in a row. 

Dhananjaya De Silva

Sri Lanka's fantastic captain brought his island nation ever closer to entering the WTC final, the first time in its three editions. The batting all-rounder, who bowls off-spin, led his proud cricketing nation in twelve test matches. Under him, the Lankans secured victory in six games. The turnaround started with a comprehensive home series win against New Zealand, where they outclassed their opponent in every way. This put them in a serious contention for the final, but their stakes diminished substantially after they suffered massive home losses to Australia in a two-match rubber. Sri Lanka had to eventually content themselves with a sixth place in the teams' ranking for the 2023-25 period. 

Rohit Sharma 

Rohit Sharma's Indian test cricket team had a topsy-turvy ride in the 2023-25 WTC cycle. Coming into this one as the losing finalists on two successive occasions, the pressure was on the captain and his squad to finally deliver this term. They were in contention for a place in the final, their third on the trot, until late 2024. However, a historic home series drubbing at the hands of New Zealand seriously dented their hopes. That Kiwi whitewash left India on unprecedented grounds and required them to win at least four matches in Australia. The task proved to be daunting, and the Indians were unable to record that many wins. They lost the series 3-1 and eventually gave up on the final spot for June 2025. Under Rohit, India won eight out of the seventeen tests they played in this period and finished third on the points table. 

Now, world cricket is ready for the 2025 ICC World Test Championship Final, where South Africa will face the defending champions Australia at Lord's in London, starting on Wednesday (June 11). Just before the beginning of the Final, a former World Cup winner predicted the favourites. 

It is the third ICC World Test Championship Final. New Zealand won the first Final, Australia won the second Final, and India were runners-up on both occasions. While Australia are ready to defend the ICC WTC mace, South Africa are dreaming of winning their first ICC title after the ICC KnockOut Trophy 1998.  

See Also: 5 major milestones up for grabs in SA vs AUS WTC 2025 Final

Australia will come prepared: Harbhajan Singh on 2025 ICC WTC Final AUS vs SA

Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh, the ICC World T20 2007 and ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 winner, believes that Australia are the little favourites for the Final. 

The former off-spinner said on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network, “Australia will come prepared. They’ve played a lot of cricket in England - Ashes, the last WTC Final - and that experience will count. They understand these conditions better than South Africa. Plus, they’re a champion side. The difference lies in how you handle pressure during big matches, and Aussies are masters at that. That’s why they’ve won more trophies than anyone else."

Australia didn't lose any series in the 2023-2025 ICC World Test Championship, while they drew twice and won four others, including drawing the Ashes 2023 in England and winning the 2024-2025 Border-Gavaskar Trophy at home. 

Harbhajan Singh about Australian captain Pat Cummins

Harbhajan also praised the Australian captain Pat Cummins and pointed out the reason for being a very special captain for the Baggy Greens. 

Harbhajan added, “Cummins is one of those leaders who brings everyone together. More importantly, he's a proven match-winner with great command in the dressing room. When your team respects and rallies behind you, you win more matches. That’s what makes him a very special captain for Australia."

On the other hand, in the 2023-2025 ICC World Test Championship, South Africa suffered only one Test series defeat, against the hosts New Zealand, while winning four Test series and drawing the one remaining home Test series against India. Although South Africa finished the 2023-2025 ICC World Test Championship as the table toppers based on "percentage of points won out of points contested", they didn't play any Test series against two top Test teams, Australia and England, in this cycle.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has brought the promo for the 2023-2025 ICC World Test Championship Final, where the top two table toppers, South Africa and Australia, will face each other from June 11 at Lord's in London.

In the video, Australian and South African players have been captured in the focus-looking ahead of the third ICC World Test Championship Final, while the Championship . It will be the first World Test Championship Final for South Africa, and they are facing the defending champions Australia, who are eyeing their second WTC title. 

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2023-2025 ICC World Test Championship Final: South Africa eyeing their first ICC trophy after more than 26 years

South Africa men's national cricket team has only one ICC trophy, which is the ICC Champions Trophy 1998 title. They are waiting for about 27 years to win another ICC title, while their closest one in this period was the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2025 runners-up. Now, the 2023-2025 ICC World Championship points table leader have the great chance to end their long and frustrating wait for their second ICC trophy. 

2023-2025 ICC World Test Championship Final: Australia are ready to defend

Meanwhile, Australia won the 2021-2023 ICC World Test Championship Mace after beating India in the Final. It was their first ICC WTC trophy, as they became the first team to win all four ICC trophies. 

Before Australia, New Zealand became the first team to win the ICC WTC title after winning the inaugural ICC WTC Final (2019-2021 edition) by beating India. 

Two teams. One dream 👑

South Africa and Australia are ready to carve their names in Lord’s history 🤩#Cricket #CricketReels #WTC25 pic.twitter.com/FgeID10JXv

— ICC (@ICC) June 9, 2025

During the league stage of the 2023-2025 ICC World Test Championship, South Africa earned 100 points after 12 Tests (PCT 69.44%) with eight wins, one draw, and three losses, and the second-placed Australia secured 154 points after 19 Tests (PCT 67.54%) with 13 wins, two draws, and four losses. 

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has revealed the prize money distribution for the 2023-25 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, ahead of the final between Australia and South Africa, scheduled for June 11, 2025, at Lord’s.  Announced on May 15, 2025, the announcement has brought out the financial benefits for the leading teams of the highly esteemed Test championship, with the winner being promised a substantial INR 30.78 crore and the runners-up INR 18.46 crore. This is a significant hike from the last cycle, measuring the ICC's enthusiasm for encouraging Test cricket.

Australia, who finished at the top of the WTC points table with a percentage of 62.50 following a 3-1 series victory against India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, and South Africa, who secured their place with a percentage of 55.56 after a 2-0 series victory against Sri Lanka, will contest for the top award. The other teams in the WTC table have also been awarded prize money according to their ranks. India, who finished third, will be handed INR 12.31 crore, and New Zealand, fourth, will get INR 10.26 crore. England, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, West Indies, and Pakistan will get INR 8.2 crore, INR 7.18 crore, INR 6.15 crore, INR 5.13 crore, and INR 4.10 crore, respectively, for their performances in the cycle.

The WTC cycle for 2025, which started in 2023, has experienced fierce competition in 69 matches where teams have been competing to reach the final. The distribution of prize money not only honors the best but also provides financial assistance to all teams that participate, fostering the development of Test cricket around the world. ICC Chairman Jay Shah pointed out, "The WTC is a pillar of Test cricket, and this prize fund reflects our commitment to the format."

Financial Incentive for Test Cricket

The huge prize money for the WTC 2025 final is a testament to the ICC's attempts to keep the longest format alive, which tends to battle for attention in the T20-dominated age. The winner's share of INR 30.78 crore is a strong motivation, making the WTC among the richest team sport championships, while the runner-up's INR 18.46 crore guarantees both finalists are heavily rewarded.

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For sides such as India and New Zealand, who just fell short of the final, the incentive money of INR 12.31 crore and INR 10.26 crore, respectively, gives a financial advantage to their cricket boards. Even lower-ranked nations such as Pakistan, with INR 4.10 crore, are better off, so that Test cricket is a profitable option in all cricketing nations as the sport changes.

The 19-year-old Sam Konstas made an electrifying start to his international cricket career. The world took cognizance of his gutsy batting abilities when he made a dream debut against India in front of a full-house MCG and bashed the likes of Bumrah, Siraj, and Akash Deep to announce his arrival on the big stage.

But his blossoming career may soon encounter an unexpected halt as the Australian think tank is mulling over altering their opening combination ahead of the Sri Lanka Test series. 

See also: "Virat Kohli was very.." Sam Konstas praises Virat Kohli

Travis Head likely to open for Australia in the Sri Lanka Test series

As per reports from Yahoo Sports, the Australian management is reportedly eyeing to push Travis Head up the order and make him open the batting on subcontinent tracks. In his earlier tour to the subcontinent, Head performed poorly while batting in the middle order and recorded only 23 runs in three innings at a dismal average of 7.67.  The management believes that the 31-year-old is best suited to open the batting and dominate the new ball attack.

During the 2023 BGT Test tour to India, Head and Renshaw formed the opening combination when Warner got injured. In three innings, Head amassed 235 runs at an impressive average of 47 whilst marinating a commendable strike rate of 69. One of the most famous innings that he played on that tour at the top of the order was his counter-attacking 90* which helped Australia triumph in the Indore Test.

So what the future holds for young Konstas?

After a rollicking start to his international career, Konstas certainly comes across as a reliable opener instead of an out-of-sorts McSweeney who was axed mid-way through the series. But a drastic change in conditions in Sri Lanka will prompt the management to reconsider their opening combination before the start of the tour. 

Besides, Usman Khawaja is also likely to play a key role in helping Konstas adapt during the transition process. The Pakistani-born opener's place is highly valued in the side and his prior experience in subcontinent conditions will surely help the young Konstas shape his cricketer career a long way.

As the dust settled on the enthralling five-match Border Gavaskar Test series (2024-25), the ICC conducted an in-depth assessment of the pitches used in the series. Their pitch ratings were made public by the ICC on Wednesday with Optus Stadium, Adelaide Oval, Gabba, and the MCG, receiving a "very good" rating. The SCG on the other hand, was given the second-best category rating of "satisfactory". 

ICC's pitch rating model underwent a slight overhaul in 2023 and the number of ratings was slashed from six to four — very good, satisfactory, unsatisfactory, and unfit. Test venues around the world are issued demerit points if they are deemed unsatisfactory or unfit ratings.

See also: Rohit and Kohli to play England Test series despite a horrid show in BGT: Reports

Peter Roach pleased with the quality of the pitches that were produced in the series

CA Head of Cricket Operations and Scheduling Peter Roach was extremely delighted with the fact that the curators worked tirelessly to produce one of the best decks in world cricket. He expressed his gratitude and lauded them for not compromising on quality. At Cricket Australia, Roach strives to ensure that the pitches have the unique properties to make them stand out from the rest of the venues in the country.   

“We are delighted by the quality of pitches produced for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series and grateful for all the hard work of the curators and venues across the country. We encourage pitches that bring out the unique characteristics of that venue and this has long been a feature of Australian cricket. We strongly believe that this is one of the reasons that Test cricket is so popular in Australia."

Furthermore, he also adds that the pitch is prepared in such a way as to ensure a balanced battle between the bat and the ball. Unlike the case with India, Pakistan, or any other subcontinent team, CA does not prioritize facilitating home advantage and have some of the most skillful curators with them who can operate in harsh weather conditions.    

“We don’t look to prepare wickets that favor the home side or suit our situation in a series. What we seek is a good contest between bat and ball and pitches that are likely to produce a result. Weather obviously plays a significant part in preparation and we know that even our most skilled curators are challenged at times by adverse weather.” 

SCG gets a "satisfactory" rating from the ICC

The SCG Test was the deciding Test of the series and the game ended in a little over three days with Australia winning triumphantly by six wickets. The pitch had an unusually high amount of grass covering which baffled several cricketing gurus which also included the likes of Allan Border and Sunny Gavaskar. Additionally, the pitch also offered a lot of variable bounce which made batting quite tricky at times. 

Nevertheless, the venue got away with a healthy "satisfactory" rating and Roach was once again pleased with what the venue had to offers in terms of pace and bounce.

“The SCG has been striving to bring out their unique characteristics of early pace and bounce before the pitch wears and spins. This year was a step in the right direction to achieving this which provided an exciting finish to the Border Gavaskar Trophy series and bodes well for the Ashes summer in 2025-26.” 

South Africa and Australia have booked their berth for the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) final which is scheduled to be held on June 11, 2025, at the Lord's Cricket Ground in the UK. While Australia have already made it to the summit once and conquered it too in the process, it is a grand occasion for South Africa as they look to make their maiden WTC final appearance. 

South Africa exceeded everyone's expectations by enduring a dominating run, both at home and overseas. South African head coach Shukri Conrad's presence helped the team immensely and ever since Bavuma took over the captaincy, South Africa went on a roll winning 10 out of 14 Tests whilst remaining undefeated.

See also: Usman Khawaja Praises Yashasvi Jaiswal After His Great Performance in BGT 2024-25

Rabada threatens Australia ahead of the WTC clash

It goes without saying that the WTC final clash between South Africa and Australia will be an absolute box office. The presence of world-class pacers and in-form batters on both sides will make the summit clash all the more enthralling to watch. 

One of the world's renowned pacers Kagiso Rabada will spearhead South Africa's bowling attack in the upcoming WTC final and has warned Cummins and his men to not take them lightly as they have already beaten them before.

“South Africa vs Australia has always been an intense rivalry. We play hard and they are going to come hard at us, and we know that. But we also know how to beat them.”

Throughout countless generations, the rivalry between South Africa and Australia has always been a closely-contested affair. Australia are currently the defending champions and they will leave no stone unturned to secure their second WTC title on the bounce.

How did the two teams make it to the WTC Final?

South Africa and Australia endured enormous hardship in their quest to fulfill their WTC final aspirations. In some instances, they also rode their luck to prevail during nervy times. But when it mattered the most, both teams gave it their all and brought their A-game to the fore to come on top.

South Africa needed one win against Pakistan to go through but a breezy run chase soon turned out to be a nightmare when they were reduced to 99-8 during the second innings at Centurion. Fortunately, Rabada and Jansen came to their rescue and helped South Africa get over the line by a slim margin of two wickets. 

Australia on the other hand, came on top in the recently concluded Border Gavaskar Trophy series despite being blown away in Perth. They successfully fended off a one-man army spearheaded by Jasprit Bumrah and clinched the series 3-1 to power themselves to second straight WTC final.

The two-match Test series ended on a disappointing note for Pakistan. It was a show of brute force from South Africa as they rolled over the tourists and won the second Test by 10 wickets. However, after being skittled for 194 in the first innings, Pakistan stood tall and staged a gutsy fightback to keep themselves alive in the match. 

Shan Masood led from the front and opened the batting in the absence of Sam Ayub. His monumental contribution of 145 powered Pakistan to 478. His double-century plus opening stand with Babar helped Pakistan erase the deficit and make South Africa bat again, albeit for only a few overs. 

See also: Watson Believes Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli Will Shine in Champions Trophy Despite Test Struggles

Pakistan create history by surpassing a rare 136-year-long record

Pakistan re-wrote the record books following the conclusion of the second Test on Monday. After being asked to bat again, the visitors responded with a lot of character and posted 478 in the second innings to eke out a paltry 57 runs. The score of 478 is now the highest score by any visiting team in South Africa while following on in nearly 136 years. 

In the process, Pakistan also succeeded in breaking another record which stood since 1902. They become the first touring team to cross a total of 400 while following on in South Africa. The previous best follow-on record of 372-7 in Johannesburg belonged to Australia. However, the only record that remained intact was South Africa's follow-on total of 572 against England in Durban in 1999 which remains the highest-ever follow-on total recorded on South African soil. 

South Africa in the midst of a golden run in Test cricket

Fortunes for the South African cricket team changed drastically ever since Temba Bavuma took over the captaincy responsibilities. In this World Test Championship cycle, they've been victorious in eight out of 12 matches. The win against Pakistan in Cape Town marked their seventh consecutive Test win. 

The victory assured that South Africa will secure the top position in the World Test Championship (WTC) standings for the 2023-25 cycle, regardless of the outcomes of other matches. The Proteas are set to compete in their inaugural WTC final against the current champions, Australia, at Lord's in June.

After losing the Melbourne Test, India are in danger of losing their hope for qualification for the ICC World Test Championship Final for the ongoing cycle (2023-2025). The Melbourne Test defeat has raised the question of whether India have any more chance to reach the WTC Final for the third straight time.

If India drew the Melbourne Test, they could have a better chance to qualify for the upcoming WTC Final. As they suffered a defeat, India are in a tricky situation for the WTC Final qualification chance.

Australia are leading the five-match Test series Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 by 2-1 with the last Test yet to be played. Sydney will host the last Test of the series, starting on December 3. It will be the must-win game for India to only level the Test series by 2-2. 

See Also: Rohit Sharma on Rishabh Pant: Balancing Flair with Responsibility

WTC Final Qualification: Sydney Test will be the must-win game for India

Forget about losing the Sydney Test, India will be straight out of the WTC Final contention if they even draw the last Test of the series. In this case, India will have only 51.75 percentage points.

So, India must have to win the Sydney Test to only stay in the WTC Final contention. By winning the series decider, India will earn 55.26 percentage points. 

South Africa qualify for the WTC Final

By winning the thrilling home Test series opener against Pakistan, South Africa have already confirmed their place in the upcoming WTC Final. They already have 66.67 percentage points and can’t lose their place in the WTC Final even after losing the second or last Test of the series. 

Only Sydney Test draw result can be helpful for Sri Lanka

On the other hand, Sri Lanka are hoping for only a draw result in the Sydney Test, as the Lankans can only stay in contention for the WTC Final with that result. After the Sydney Test draw result, which will make India’s points percentage 51.75, Sri Lanka must have to win both of the two-match home Test series against Australia. Only these combined results will help Sri Lanka reach their maiden WTC Final, as Sri Lanka (53.85) will be slightly ahead of Australia (53.51) to grab second place in the percentage points table.

Sydney Test win will be enough for the defending champions Australia

In the meantime, a Sydney Test victory will be enough for the baggy greens to advance to the WTC Final, even if they then lose a 2-0 away Test series against Sri Lanka. In the case of a draw result in the Sydney Test, India will be out, and Sri Lanka will remain in the contest for the WTC Final, but the defending champions Australia will secure their place for their second consecutive WTC Final with only one draw result in the two-match Test series against the hosts Sri Lanka. 

India's only WTC Final qualification: Australia can't win a Test in Sri Lanka after losing Sydney Test

If Australia lose the Sydney Test, they need to win at least one Test in Sri Lanka. In Australia’s Sydney Test defeat scenario, if they lose both Tests or draw both Tests or lose a Test and draw the other Test in Sri Lanka, only India will advance to the WTC Final for the straight third time.

WTC Final

Lord's will host the 2023-2025 ICC World Test Championship Final from June 11, 2025.