BREAKING FROM THE PACK

Ranjan Mellawa picks the front-runners in the World Test Championship 2023

The past 10 weeks have seen the conclusion of no less than five Test series, following a pause of around a month. Interestingly, a few claimants for the top two slots in the World Test Championship (WTC) are emerging as the momentum begins to pick up.

Australia claimed ownership of the inaugural Benaud-Qadir Trophy, winning a top of the line series 1-0 against Pakistan. A dominant Usman Khawaja dictated terms with the bat, aggregating 496 runs in the three Tests and averaging a phenomenal 165.33. 

It was Australia’s first away series triumph in six years – and their first series win in Asia since beating Sri Lanka 1-0 in 2011.

Unbeaten Australia are at the top of the WTC table, having played two successful series so far. They’re strong contenders for a berth in the final but need at least six wins out of the remaining 11 Tests against Sri Lanka and the West Indies (two apiece), South Africa (three) and India (four).

Meanwhile, after enduring a humiliating defeat in three days, South Africa reversed the result in the next match, sharing the series 1-1 in New Zealand. They then swept aside Bangladesh 2-0 despite the absence of their speed merchants who are busy playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL). 

Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj bamboozled the Bangladeshi batters on surfaces that were more familiar to subcontinental players than South Africans by taking 16 wickets in the two games. The Proteas showed ascendancy as a Test side in their first series of the current WTC cycle, chasing record totals and overtaking the strong Indians to emerge from 0-1 to clinch the series 2-1.

Currently second on the table, South Africa must win five out of their remaining eight Tests – against England (three), West Indies (two) and Australia (three) – to have a sporting chance to stay in the top two.

As expected, India recorded an emphatic 2-0 win against Sri Lanka, a series that lasted six days with Sri Lanka’s 208 all out in their final innings being their best effort.

Third placed India have one more Test to complete their five match series against England, two in Bangladesh and four at home against the Aussies. Five wins out of these seven will see India vying for a place in the final.

For elevation from their current fourth place to the top two, Pakistan must win five of their remaining seven, two apiece against Sri Lanka and New Zealand, and three versus England.

Having succumbed to India, Sri Lanka have slipped to fifth position. They have a herculean task of winning six of the remaining eight matches to keep their slim chances alive – two apiece against Bangladesh, Australia, Pakistan and New Zealand.

Similarly, reigning champions New Zealand need to win six out of seven Tests, which include three challenging away games in England and two in Pakistan, then hosting Sri Lanka for two Tests.

A win percentage of around 65 percent is the likely barometer for the ‘qualification zone.’ Ergo Australia, South Africa, India and Pakistan, in descending order, have shown their intent for the home run leading to the plum.

The others – including the West Indies, Bangladesh and England – are likely to bring up the rear as also-rans.

All said and done, Test cricket has emerged triumphant and stands proud together with its instant and adolescent white ball cousins. The WTC took a very long time coming (almost as old as the game itself); and to the delight of purists the world over, it may well be the saving grace of the vintage format.