Former India head coach Ravi Shastri believes that while England is currently the best place for hosting the World Test Championship (WTC) finals, in the future, countries like India and Australia should be considered as well.
So far, all WTC finals have taken place in England. The first final was played at the Rose Bowl in Southampton between India and New Zealand. The second final was held at the Oval, where Australia beat India. The most recent final took place at Lord’s in London, where South Africa won against Australia and ended their 27-year wait for an ICC trophy under captain Temba Bavuma.
In a podcast with Wisden Cricket, Shastri said, “Lord’s is a good place to begin with, but once the WTC becomes more popular, the finals can be held in bigger stadiums like the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) or the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. These stadiums can hold many more fans than Lord’s, which is not a 100,000-seater.”
He explained that no matter which teams play, big stadiums will attract large crowds. He added that if more people start watching the WTC finals, it makes sense to move the matches to bigger venues.
Despite the BCCI’s (Board of Control for Cricket in India) recent attempt to host the 2027 WTC final in India, the ICC (International Cricket Council) chose England again. England is expected to host the finals in 2027, 2029, and 2031 as per the ICC’s Future Tours Programme.
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The ICC prefers England for now because their venues draw neutral fans who love Test cricket, regardless of which teams are playing.
However, Shastri believes that in the future, as the WTC grows in popularity, countries with larger stadiums should also get the opportunity to host. Hosting finals in places like Ahmedabad or Melbourne could allow more fans to enjoy the game live and help expand the reach of Test cricket globally.
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This discussion reflects the balance between keeping the tradition of English venues and promoting the growth of Test cricket worldwide.
