India's WTC Ambitions To Take Severe ICC Blow As Report Claims, "Despite An Attempt From..."
South Africa are in command heading into Day 4 of the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) final against defending champions Australia at Lord's. Chasing 282 for the win, the Proteas reached 213/2 at Stumps on Day 3, thanks Aiden Markram 's century and an unbeaten half-century by captain Temba Bavuma. Markram and Bavuma's unbeaten 143-run stand puts South Africa in pole position with just 69 runs needed and eight wickets in hand. The English soil has witnessed two different WTC champions, with New Zealand and Australia lifting the title in 2021 and 2023, respectively.
India were on the losing side in both of those finals, while South Africa could become the third different team to lift the title if they get the job done on Day 4.
According to a report by Telegraph UK, the WTC final is unlikely to be shifted out of England, despite calls from former India captain Rohit Sharma and Pat Cummins, who led Australia to the title in 2023.
As per the report, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has told the England Cricket Board (ECB) of their intention to host the summit clash in England for the next three windows.
"English cricket is close to agreeing to host the next three World Test Championship finals despite an attempt from India to stage the show-piece event. The World Test Championship (WTC) began in 2019 and has run three two-year cycles, all of which concluded with a final in England in June," the report said.
The BCCI, in past, have expressed its desire to stage the summit clash in India. While the ICC stakeholders have held discussions over the same, England will get the seal of approval for the next three editions (2027, 2029 and 2031).
The development is likely to be confirmed at ICC's Annual Conference in Singapore in July.
"It is expected that the decision will be rubber-stamped at the ICC's Annual Conference in Singapore next month, but the ECB are expected to begin planning the 2027 edition of the WTC final promptly after the current one, between Australia and South Africa, ends," the report added.
Despite hosting the first three finals, England have failed to reach the WTC even once.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
29 minutes ago
- Time of India
How South Africa's coach trained players to finally shed the chockers tag by winning the WTC title vs Australia
For decades, South African cricket has battled a painful reputation—of faltering when it matters most. The label of 'chokers' haunted generations, from early World Cup exits to painful collapses in critical games. But that narrative took a historic turn when South Africa, under head coach Shukri Conrad, clinched the World Test Championship (WTC) title with a resolute victory over Australia. The transformation didn't happen overnight. It was a process rooted in mental toughness, self-belief, and calmness under pressure—key attributes Conrad instilled in his squad. A Mindset Shift Under Conrad As per The turning point in South Africa's mental fortitude came in December, during a nerve-wracking run chase against Pakistan. At 19 for 3 chasing 148, the team was on the brink once again. But Conrad, rather than panic, delivered a straightforward message: 'Do you want to be remembered as chokers?' That blunt but necessary intervention sparked a turnaround. South Africa scraped through with a two-wicket win—a win Conrad jokingly labeled the 'Camel classic,' a nod to the calming cigarette break he shared with players mid-crisis. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 20 Most Expensive Cars In The World That message of staying composed stayed with the team through their WTC campaign. It resurfaced on the eve of the final days of the WTC final against Australia, where South Africa found themselves in a dominant position at Lord's—yet acutely aware of how easily things had fallen apart in the past. Focused on the Moment, Not the Outcome Ashwell Prince, South Africa's batting coach, credited Conrad's calm demeanor for the serene atmosphere in the dressing room during tense phases. Prince recalled how Conrad instructed players to stick to their routines: do the same warm-ups, approach the day as any other, and don't let the magnitude of the occasion overwhelm them. "The messaging has been the same throughout," Prince noted. "Make them believe that they can do it, and then just step out the way and allow them to go and do it." The emphasis was always on staying present—'play one ball at a time,' as Prince described the batting philosophy. Despite facing an Australian side stacked with elite bowlers, South Africa never let the past dictate the present. History Was Watching—But South Africa Looked Ahead Lord's has seen its share of final heartbreaks, and for South Africa, ghosts of past failures loomed large. From the infamous Test loss in 1992 against the West Indies to the heartbreak in the T20 World Cup final in 2023, the fear of history repeating itself was real. Yet the team made a conscious decision not to look too far ahead. Prince even hesitated to discuss Temba Bavuma's heroic innings before the match ended, aware that even the smallest assumption could tempt fate. Still, the signs were positive. From the steady partnership between Bavuma and Aiden Markram to Rabada's dominant bowling across the match, South Africa appeared to be writing a different ending. A Victory That Went Beyond the Scorecard Even before the final moments, South Africa's campaign had won admiration. They reached the final despite criticism over the perceived ease of their fixtures. But as Prince pointed out, the players were made aware of their own quality, not the noise outside. Conrad made it a priority to build confidence internally, not react to external doubts. "There was no talk about proving anybody wrong," Prince emphasized. The focus was on performance, not validation. In defeating Australia, South Africa didn't just win a title—they dismantled a decades-old narrative. The 'chokers' tag wasn't erased with one win, but it was undoubtedly challenged in the most emphatic way. And at the heart of that shift was a coach who believed in calm over chaos, and players who finally began to believe in themselves.
Time of India
32 minutes ago
- Time of India
'Best innings ever by a South African': Kevin Pietersen hails Aiden Markram's Lord's epic as Proteas lift WTC crown
Aiden Markram (AP Photo) Former England skipper Kevin Pietersen has hailed Aiden Markram 's match-winning century against Australia at Lord's as the greatest innings ever played by a South African batter in Test cricket, placing the Proteas opener's gritty knock above all others in the country's long red-ball history. Markram scored a sublime 136 off 207 balls in the fourth innings to help South Africa chase down 282 and beat Australia by five wickets in the World Test Championship final — ending their 27-year-long wait for an ICC title. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! "Probably the best innings any South African batter has ever played in Test match cricket," Pietersen, a pundit on JioStar, declared. "It might not go down as the most attacking or entertaining, but when you factor in the expectation, the stage, and the pressure after failing in the first innings, it was extraordinary." Poll Which aspect of Markram's innings do you think was most impressive? Mental strength under pressure Technical skill Ability to handle expectations Praising Markram's mental strength, Pietersen added, "He lost Rickelton early, yet still went on to produce something truly magnificent. When your country is counting on you and you have to deliver — that pressure is immense." Lobo Predicted It, Again: South Africa's Historic WTC Win vs Australia Pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada , who took a nine-wicket match haul, called Markram a "big-match player" and praised his composure under pressure. "His presence, the way he dominated his space, and stuck to his game plan without wavering was just brilliant," Rabada said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo "It wasn't a pitch where you could be loose. He handled all their plans, traps — off-side, leg-side — with amazing focus." Former fast bowler Dale Steyn also lavished praise on the team's performance. "Rabada, Starc, Cummins — big names delivered, but Markram and Bavuma finishing it off made it special. I'm thrilled for South Africa — they've finally won a trophy they've been chasing for a long time." He also noted the unusual crowd dynamics: "Lord's backed us. Maybe the Ashes rivalry played a part, but that support mattered."
Economic Times
37 minutes ago
- Economic Times
ICC approves changes to two-ball rule in ODIs, concussion substitute protocols
The ICC has approved changes to ODI playing conditions, including a revised two-ball rule aimed at balancing bat and ball, effective July 2. From June 17, concussion substitute protocols across all formats will require teams to pre-name replacement players by role. This aims to prevent controversial substitutions, ensuring fairness and maintaining the integrity of the game. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads :New Delhi The International Cricket Council ICC ) approved proposed changes to two-ball rule in ODIs and the concussion substitute protocol across all formats of men's international cricket, reported ESPNCricinfo on new playing conditions, which were recommended by ICC's men's cricket committee and met the approval of chief executives committee, will come in effect from June 17 in Tests, July 2 for ODIs and July 10 for T20I two new balls are used per innings in men's ODIs, one at either end. But as a part of revised playing conditions, two balls will be used from innings' start till the end of the 34th over. After the 34th over, the bowling team will get to choose one of two balls, which they will use at both ends from overs ICC said that intention behind this move is to "readdress the balance between bat and ball".If ODI is reduced to 25 overs per side or less before the first innings, the bowling side will have only one new ball for usage in the entire as per the new concussion protocols, teams will have to give a list of names of substitute players before the match to the match referee according to these roles: One wicketkeeper, one batter, one seam bowler, one spin bowler, one allrounderIn January this year, during the fourth T20I against England, India replaced all-rounder Shivam Dube with pacer Harshit Rana as a concussion substitute, and the bowler took 3/33 to secure a win. The match referee's approval of the substitute met plenty of debates and criticism. The naming of players for specific roles in the concussion replacement list could prevent such the replacement player also gets a concussion and a replacement is needed, then match referee will consider a player outside five names given by the player, according to currently-existing like-to-like protocol.
