Australia in ICC World Test Championship
Australia were one of the most consistent teams in the inaugural cycle of the World Test Championship that ran between 2019 and 2021, but they missed out on making it to the final by only a slender margin. The Aussies finished third in the Points table as they recorded a percentage of 69.2, which was only 0.8 less than that of New Zealand’s exact percentage of 70.
Justin Langer and his men played a total of 14 matches during that cycle, won eight games out of those, drew twice and lost four times. Two of those four defeats came against India, which consisted mostly of second string members.
That series loss against India probably stopped them from making it to the WTC final. Australia were on top after bowling India out for a paltry total of 36 runs in the day-night encounter in Adelaide. India lost key players to injuries after that and that placed the hosts in a supremely commanding position. But the Indian youngsters produced a miracle and thrashed the Aussies at their own den, winning the series 2-1.
Who Holds the Australia World Test Championship Records?
Marnus Labuschagne was the highest run-scorer not only for Australia but among all batters in the entire WTC cycle of 2019-21. He amassed 1675 runs in just 13 matches, at an outstanding average of 72.82. Labuschagne scored five hundreds and nine fifties, and his best of 215 came against New Zealand at the SCG in 2020.
Steve Smith had an almost equally good outing as he amassed 1341 runs at an average of 63.85. That includes four hundreds and seven fifties. The record for the highest score belongs to David Warner though. The southpaw scored an unbeaten 335 against Pakistan at home in 2019.
In terms of bowling, Pat Cummins finished as Australia’s highest wicket-taker in the inaugural WTC Cycle. Cummins picked up 70 wickets in just 14 matches, at a superb average of 21.02. Josh Hazlewood was second in the list of most wickets taken by an Australian, with 48 wickets to his name, and Mitchell Starc was at third with 44 wickets. The record for the best bowling figures in a match for Australia in this cycle is held by Nathan Lyon though. Lyon registered figures of 10/118 against New Zealand at home in 2020.
How Australia Are Performing in World Test Championship Cycle
Australia have done a great job so far in the ongoing cycle (2021-23) of the World Test Championship. They are sitting at the top of the table with a Percentage of 75. Pat Cummins and his men have played eight matches so far, winning five and drawing three games. The fact that they are yet to lose any match sums up how ruthless they have been.
As far as the individual records in this cycle go, Usman Khawaja is the highest run-scorer with 751 runs to his name in just five games. He is averaging a mind-boggling 125.16 runs per innings and that sums up the kind of form he has enjoyed. As far as the bowling charts go, skipper Cummins leads the list with 33 wickets to his name in just seven games.
