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As Australia prepares for the high-stakes ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final clash against South Africa, plenty of eyeballs will be on their star batters Steve Smith and Travis Head, who proved to be the point of difference during their side's maiden triumph at The Oval against India back in 2023.
If Australia is to become the first team to defend its ICC World Test Championship crown, it will need Smith and Travis to replicate their past heroics in knockout matches. Otherwise, the pace trio of Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, and Lungi Ngidi could help the Proteas secure their first-ever world title in international cricket. During the WTC final against India, it was the 285-run stand for the third wicket between Head (163) and Smith (121) that propelled Australia to 469 after India had them on the backfoot at 76/3 after electing to field first. These two world-class batters essentially outbattled India by themselves as the Asian giants fell to a defeat by 209 runs in a chase of 444 runs, continuing their streak of heartbreaks at ICC events. Smith has a brilliant record in ICC knockout matches, with 584 runs in 12 matches and innings at an average of 58.40, with two centuries and four fifties, with the best score being 121. He is Australia's ultimate crisis man for big matches, symbolising the much-talked-about 'Aussie mentality'. In recent times, Head's fearless mentality and ability to throw a counter-punch in the face of adversity have benefited the Australian team in ICC knockout matches, having made 419 runs in four such matches across five innings at an average of 104.22, with two centuries and a half-century. His best score is 163. His another century came against India in the final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 at Ahmedabad in front of a packed Narendra Modi Stadium, denying India their third World Cup crown after a 10-match win streak. Smith, at 36, has been in sizzling form as of late, with four centuries in the last five Tests against India and Sri Lanka and with a monkey off his back after crossing 10,000 Test runs. In 19 Tests of the WTC 2023-25 cycle, he has made 1,324 runs at an average of 41.37, with five centuries and four fifties in 35 innings and the best score of 141. He is the sixth-highest run-getter of this cycle. Head, on the other hand, is at the seventh spot, with 1,177 runs in 19 matches and 34 innings at an average of 35.66 and a stunning strike rate of 81.06. He has scored three centuries and five fifties, with the best score of 152. Australia squad WTC final: Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Cameron Green, Beau Webster, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland, Nathan Lyon, Matt Kuhnemann. Travelling reserve: Brendan Doggett. (ANI)
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