The World Test Championship was launched by the ICC to add context and significance to the longest format of cricket. The competition is contested by the top nine full members of the ICC Men’s Test Team Ranking, with each series played contributing points towards a team’s overall ranking. The final provides a unique opportunity for two outstanding teams to showcase the best of what the game has to offer, and is analogous to the World Cup Final in ODI and T20I cricket.
The inaugural final in 2021 was widely hailed as just desserts for a golden generation that had fallen short of its potential across a number of white-ball campaigns, and two years on, Australia’s triumph in the second World Test Championship final has only further whetted the appetite for this week’s battle at the home of cricket, Lord’s.
In an era where the majority of the world’s top players also play in T20 and ODI tournaments, the World Test Championship has helped to provide a level of structure to the sport, with the nine highest-ranked teams each playing three series of between five and seven tests, with one of those being at home. Each win in a series earns the winning team 12 points, six for a draw and four for losing.
Aiden Markram and Kagiso Rabada starred for South Africa as they defeated modern-day Goliaths Australia in a final that will be remembered for its own fairytale qualities. The victory was celebrated around the world by billions of fans who took to social media to pay tribute to Temba Bavuma and his side.