If Mitchell Starc gets it right, he can make things difficult for Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill in WTC Final: Salman Butt

India and Australia are all set to take on each other in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023 final at the Oval in London from June 7. After reaching back-to-back finals and succumbing to New Zealand last time, Team India will like to take home the trophy in 2023 under the leadership of Rohit Sharma. India have kicked off their preparations for the final clash of the tournament against Australia and will be keen to sustain their form and compete at the highest possible level when they encounter the Pat Cummins-led team.

Meanwhile, former Pakistan skipper Salman Butt believes that Australian left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc could pose a threat to Indian openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill in the World Test Championship (WTC) final. He pointed out the fact that Rohit often experiences trouble against left-arm fast bowlers. However, he also opined that the Australian bowlers will find it difficult if the two Indian openers are able to see off the new ball and get set.

“If Mitchell Starc gets it right, he can surely make things difficult for Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill. He has a very good inswinger and bowls at a good pace. We have seen that Rohit Sharma is vulnerable against left-armers. However, if those two get set, they can put Australian bowlers under pressure. India has a stronger batting lineup out of the two teams. Also, the conditions that you would get at The Oval won't be the typical English conditions. It isn't similar to Lords or Leeds where the ball tends to swing a lot for the first couple of hours. The Oval offers pace and bounce which makes shot-making easier,” Butt said on his YouTube channel.

India has a stronger batting lineup out of the two teams: Butt

Former Pakistan cricketer also believes that India have a better unit of batsmen than Australia. He proceeded to assert that The Oval's conditions will help the batters because the pace and bounce will let them play their shots freely. “India has a stronger batting lineup out of the two teams. Also, the conditions that you would get at The Oval won't be the typical English conditions. It isn't similar to Lords or Leeds where the ball tends to swing a lot for the first couple of hours. The Oval offers pace and bounce which makes shot-making easier,” Butt added.

It is also worth noting that the upcoming WTC final clash against India will be Australia’s first final of the tournament. However, India would be playing in their second final after falling to New Zealand in the 2019–21 season's summit match. It will be captivating to see which team survives the match and captures the championship as the two sides prepare for the high-stakes showdown.