Former Australia white-ball skipper Aaron Finch believes the 285-♌run first innings partnership betw𝄹een Steve Smith and Travis Head made the difference in the World Test Championship final against India at The Oval.
Aaron Finch believes the 285-run first innings partnership between Steve S💞mith and Travis Head made the 𒆙difference in the World Test Championship final against India at The Oval.
Former Australia white-ball skipper Aaron Finch believes the 285-♌run first innings partnership betw𝄹een Steve Smith and Travis Head made the difference in the World Test Championship final against India at The Oval.
India finished runners up for the second consecutive time in the WTC final as Australia clinched the m𝄹ace with a mas🎶sive 209-run win on Sunday.
Indiꦦa had lost the inaugural edition of WTC final to New Zealand.
"What an achievement to be crowned World Test Champions. I think Travis Head and Steve Smith's partnership was the difference in the game, but that's✱ just something Steve Smith does," Finch told 'S🙈EN Radio'.
"When he (Smit▨🧔h) turns up to England he seems to walk out and get 100s at will. It was a brilliant performance and I'm very happy for the team," he added.
Following the bitter loss, India captain Rohit Sharma has called for a three-Test WTC final, while also questioning the lack of preparation time fo💙r the marquee clash as it wa🔜s scheduled just after the IPL. But Finch begs to differ.
"I think it's just the reality of the scheduling and the time con👍straints on fixtures at the moment," he said.
"I've got n꧂o issues with it, I think if it's drawn out over three Tests, what happens if a team gets annihilated? It becomes a bit of a waste of time. We all play sport for the wins and the losses.🔥 I don't have any issue with it at all."
Finch believes with his impressive display in the WTC final, right-arm pacer Scott Boland has secu🗹red his place in the playing XI of the first Ashes Test to be played at Edgbaston, starting June 16.
Boland, who replaced the injured Josh Hazlewood in the the playing XI, returned with match figures of 5 ꦓfor 105, which included the key 💞wickets of Shubman Gil, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja in India's second innings.
"He (Boland) was outstanding, I think he's well and truly se🐟wn up that third quick spot in the firs🔥t Test," Finch said.
"I'm not sure of Josh Hazlewood's injury return I guess, he's had a couple of niggles that keep haꦑnging around f꧂or him, so Scott Boland will definitely (play at Edgbaston)."