After suffering a second consecutive loss in the World Test Championship (WTC) final, India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, has expressed his belief that future finals should be held in locations other than England and at different times of the year, rather than being restricted to June.
When asked about the challenges of handling the WTC final, particularly after the Indian Premier League (IPL), Rohit questioned the scheduling and suggested alternatives. “Why does it have to be after the IPL final? Why can’t it be in March? June is not the only month for the final,” Rohit stated. “The final can be played at any time of the year and in any part of the world, not limited to England. It can be hosted anywhere globally.”
Rohit made these remarks following India’s defeat to Australia by 209 runs in the final at The Oval. Two years ago, in June 2021, India lost to New Zealand by eight wickets in a rain-affected final played at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton. The 2025 final is also scheduled to be held at Lord’s. This time around, India had limited time to acclimatize in England, as they arrived immediately after the IPL. Rohit specifically mentioned the need for more preparation time for bowlers to transition from T20 to Test cricket. In 2021, India had more time as the IPL was interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, pausing in early May and resuming in the UAE in September.
Furthermore, Rohit indicated that the choice of venue for the WTC final could influence the team composition and strategy for the next cycle. Responding to a previous question, he stated, “I also want to see where the next WTC final is being played. Based on that, we will decide the type of players we need to prepare and the style of cricket we want to play.” However, finding an alternative venue and time for the WTC final is challenging due to the already congested international cricket calendar. The addition of three new domestic T20 leagues in the UAE, South Africa, and the upcoming league in the US has put additional strain on the schedule.
Shifting the WTC final away from June would require identifying another suitable window and potentially revising the international cricket cycle as outlined in the Future Tours Programme (FTP) agreement reached last year.
The next eight-year cycle of international cricket includes four WTC finals, scheduled for 2025, 2027, 2029, and 2031. While the venues for these finals, except for the 2025 edition, have yet to be decided, England has traditionally been considered a natural choice by full members and the ICC. The northern hemisphere summer offers favorable weather conditions and the assurance of strong crowds.
“The way the cycle is set up, we will always be playing the final in the northern hemisphere summer,” commented Wasim Khan, ICC’s General Manager, prior to the final. “A three-match series would be nice, but we need to find a suitable window. This event requires two years of hard work, and you only have one shot at it.”
