ICC World Test Championship: 4 Teams Which Can Change Captains After The Final Of The Tournament

ICC World Test Championship final is underway between India and New Zealand at The Rose Bowl cricket stadium in Southampton, England. At the end of the 3^rd Day, New Zealand reached 101-2 in the 1^st innings after bowling out India for 217 in the first innings. India and New Zealand qualified for the ICC World Test Championship final after securing the 1^st and 2^nd rank respectively in the points table.

There were 9 teams that participated in ICC World Test Championship. However, India and New Zealand emerged as the top performers and bagged a berth in the final. There are few other teams that were expected to reach the final but could not succeed.

Moreover, there were also few teams that showed very poor performances during the ICC World Test Championship tournament. As a result, their Test captains might be changed after the final of the tournament. Here we talk about 4 teams that can change their captains after the ICC World Test Championship final.

ICC World Test Championship: 4 Teams Which Can Change Captains After The Final Of The Tournament

West Indies

West Indies is the first team that can change its captain post-ICC World Test Championship final. Jason Holder is the current skipper of the team in Tests. West Indies had a very poor show in the tournament. They played 12 matches during 6 bilateral series, out of which they won 3 and lost 7; while 2 matches ended in a draw. With a PCT of 30.3, West Indies finished on the 7th spot out of 9 teams in the points table.

Jason Holder had a very poor record of captainship during the tournament. He led West Indies in 7 matches, losing 6 of them while winning just 1. Due to his poor record, he was also replaced by Kraigg Brathwaite as the skipper midway during the tournament. After West Indies’ poor show in the tournament, Jason Holder might be axed from his role of skipper in the Test format.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is another team that can change its captain after the ICC World Test Championship final. Like West Indies, Sri Lanka also witnessed a poor show in the tournament. The Asian team played 6 bilateral series during the tournament. Out of 12 matches, they managed to win just 2 and lost 6 while 4 matches ended in a draw.

With just a PCT of only 27.8, they finished on the second last 8th spot in the points table. Sri Lanka was led by Dimuth Karunaratne for the majority of the matches during the tournament. The left-handed batsman led Sri Lanka in 10 matches during WTC, winning just 2 and losing 4, while 4 games ended in a draw. With his poor record of leading the team in the tournament, he might be replaced as the Test skipper of Sri Lanka.

England

England is another team that can change its Test captain after the final of the ICC World Test Championship. During the tournament, England played 6 bilateral series. Out of 21 games, they won 11 matches and lost 7, while 3 ended in a draw. They finished on the 4th spot in the points table. Joe Root was the skipper of England during the tournament and led the team in 20 games out of 21.

Although the right-handed batsman showed a great performance with the bat, his performance as a skipper was not up to the mark. Out of 20 games under his leadership, England lost 6 matches and won 11, while 3 ended in a draw. England’s 3-1 loss in the Test series against India was a major factor for the team’s eviction as the finalists of the tournament.

England suffered huge defeats in the 3 out of 4 away games against India. England were one of the favourites to reach the final of the tournament but they remained far behind. Hence, Joe Root might be changed as England’s Test skipper after the conclusion of the ICC World Test Championship.

Australia

Australia is the other team that can change its skipper after the ICC World Test Championship final. Australia finished on the third spot in the points table in the tournament. They played 4 bilateral series. They won 8 matches and lost 4 out of 14, while 2 ended in a draw. Tim Paine led Australia in all the 14 matches of the tournament.

Australia had a good chance to qualify for the ICC World Test Championship final, however, their Test series loss against India changed the scenario of the tournament. Australia hosted India for a 4-match home series in December-January 2020-21. After winning the first match comfortably, Australia were highly expected to win the series. However, they lost the series 2-1 in the end, against a young Indian side that was short of many crucial players.

The series defeat came out as a huge humiliation for Australia on their home soil. They also lost the race to the finale to India. Since Tim Paine was the skipper of the team during the tournament, he is responsible for Australia’s ouster from the final.

Moreover, Paine did not have a great batting show in the tournament, scoring 550 runs in 22 innings at an average of 28.94. He also could score any century in the tournament and managed to hit only 4 fifties. Hence, Tim Paine might be replaced as Australia’s Test skipper in the future.