Ravi Shastri On Future Of WTC Final: Time To Move Onto 90,000+ Seater Stadiums Like MCG And Ahmedabads Narendra Modi Stadium
WTC Final: Former India head coach Ravi Shastri believes that England is the perfect host for the early years of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final but has backed massive stadiums in India and Australia as future venues as the format gains more popularity.
WTC Finals Have All Been Held in England So Far
Since its launch in 2019, the WTC Final has been held in England across three different venues:
2021: Rose Bowl, Southampton (India vs New Zealand)
2023: The Oval, London (India vs Australia)
2025: Lord's, London (Australia vs South Africa)
The recent 2025 final saw South Africa end their 27-year ICC trophy drought under Temba Bavuma's captaincy, defeating defending champions Australia at the historic Lord's Cricket Ground.
Lord's Draws Neutral Fans, But Bigger Stadiums Could Be Future Hosts
Speaking on the Wisden Cricket Podcast, Shastri praised England for drawing crowds even for neutral Tests, especially at a venue like Lord's. However, he pointed out that as the WTC Final grows in importance and fan following, larger venues such as the MCG in Australia or the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad could be ideal hosts.
'It's good if it's here (Lord's) actually. Once it gets the popularity and eyebrows it deserves, then it can start shifting,' said Shastri. 'The MCG can be a great place for a WTC Final. Ahmedabad too. Basically, places where you can draw a crowd.'
Shastri also noted that Lord's has limited seating (approximately 30,000) compared to the MCG (over 90,000) and Narendra Modi Stadium (over 100,000), which could offer a more electrifying atmosphere for a global final.
England Likely to Continue Hosting WTC Finals
Despite Shastri's suggestion, reports indicate that England could continue hosting WTC finals through the 2029 and 2031 cycles as per the ICC's Future Tours Programme. The 2027 final has already been confirmed at Lord's, and a BCCI bid to host the match in India was recently turned down. The ICC is reportedly favouring England due to its strong track record of organizing successful neutral Tests, especially in the traditional format.
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