LONDON: The World Test Championship final, which begins on Wednesday, will be decided by which of India and Australia adjusts better to the conditions at The Oval, said ace batter Virat Kohli.
The challenges presented by the field were acknowledged by Kohli, who urged his squad to play carefully and with concentration. The 34-year-old stressed the importance of experience and adaptability to the circumstances, emphasising that one cannot rely on prior expectations on the pitch.
"The Oval will be difficult, we won't get a flat wicket, and batters need to exercise caution," I predict. We must work to improve our discipline and focus. You must thus have the necessary experience to play in accordance with the circumstances; we cannot enter the game expecting The Oval pitch to behave in the same manner as it usually has. Since we only have one game in a neutral environment, we must change and adapt. The match will go to the team that adapts the best, stated Kohli on Star Sports' "Follow the Blues." "This is the beauty of the World Test Championship, two neutral teams with no home advantage, so it will be very exciting to see how both teams adapt to the situation," he said.
Notably, both Australia and India have struggled at The Oval ground, which has hosted 104 matches so far. Winning two, India has played 14 Test matches at this venue, losing 3 and drawing seven of them. The last time India played at The Oval, it won by 157 runs against England in 2021.
Australia, on the other side, has played 34 games at this location, winning seven, losing 17, and drawing 14. It lost to England by 137 runs in its most recent game at The Oval in 2019.
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