The ICC World Test Championship final (WTC) enters Day 5 on Sunday, June 11 but there is still no clear winner. India need 280 runs to win while Australia require to take seven wickets on the last day of the summit Test match at The Oval. However, Australia are slightly ahead of the Indian team to win the match as no team has successfully chased a 444-run target in the history of Test cricket.
Australia dominated the first three days as Indian batters and bowlers found it difficult to read the playing conditions at The Oval. On Day 4, the former Indian cricketer and national team head coach Ravi Shastri questioned India's preparations for the WTC final. He also criticized the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for giving the Indian Premier League priority over the WTC final.
“You must set your priorities, right? What is the priority? India or franchise cricket? You have to decide that. If you say franchise cricket, then forget this (WTC final). If this is important, then as the custodian of the sport, the BCCI are the bosses. There should be a clause in the IPL contract that if they need a player out of the IPL in the interest of India, they have the right to do it,” Shastri told broadcasters during Day 4 play.
The majority of India's playing eleven in the WTC final was involved heavily in IPL. Orange Cap winner Shubman Gill was among the stars who failed to adapt to red-ball cricket after spending over two months in IPL 2023. Shastri asked BCCI to put a clause in the franchise's contract with the player and focus on the player's workload management.
“First, put the clause and then ask the franchises to decide how much they want to invest. That is very important. You are the custodian of the sport. You control cricket in the country," Shastri added.
