After India's 209-run defeat to Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) final, India captain Rohit Sharma expressed his preference for having 20-25 days of preparation time leading up to the marquee final.
Due to the limited time available, India had little opportunity to acclimate themselves to the conditions in England. The team arrived in batches immediately after the conclusion of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 in late May. With the exception of Cheteshwar Pujara, who was playing County cricket for Sussex, the rest of the Indian cricketers had minimal time to transition from playing with the white Kookaburra ball to the red Dukes ball.
"Ideally, yes, for a final like this, you need a lot of time to prepare yourself, and that is what we did last time when we were here in England. We had a good 25-30 days to prepare, and you saw the result. We were 2-1 up until that game got called off. Ideally, we would want to have ample time to prepare and provide sufficient rest to the bowlers," Rohit stated during the post-match press conference.
When asked if the WTC Final should be scheduled for March, Rohit expressed agreement, stating, "June is not the only month we should play the final. It can be played at any time of the year, anywhere in the world, not just in England."
Rohit also joined Virat Kohli and David Warner in advocating for the WTC Final to be played as a three-match series. He emphasized the need for fair opportunities for both teams in such a significant event.
"I would love that. But is there time for that? That's the big question. But honestly, in a big event like this, you need to have fair opportunities for both teams. A three-match series would be nice, but it's about finding that window where it can be fit in," Rohit explained.
Australia's newly crowned ICC trophy-winning captain, Pat Cummins, expressed contentment with the current scenario, stating, "I think it's fine. No qualms. I think ideally you'd have a five-match series, but the Olympics have come down to one race to win a gold medal. AFL and NRL seasons have finals. That's sport."
While Rohit Sharma highlighted the importance of adequate preparation time and a three-match series, Pat Cummins expressed satisfaction with the existing format of the WTC Final.