“Lord’s is great, but…”- Ravi Shastri wants ICC WTC final moved out of England once it becomes popular

Ravi Shastri suggested India and Australia as venues for the ICC WTC final as they have stadiums with a larger capacity than England.

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has praised England as the best location for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) finals, but he also hinted that once the coveted competition becomes more well-known worldwide, it may eventually relocate to bigger stadiums like Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Australia and Narendra Modi International Cricket Stadium in India.

With three consecutive cycles held in various venues throughout different nations over the last six years, England continue to host the ICC WTC finals.

India and New Zealand faced off in the first-ever ICC WTC final (2019-21), which was held at Southampton’s Rose Bowl. Australia defeated India at the Oval in the next final (2021-23), taking the ICC WTC championship title away from the Kiwis.

South Africa defeated Australia in the most recent ICC WTC final (2023-25), which was held at London’s Lord’s Cricket Ground. Under Temba Bavuma’s direction, South Africa’s 27-year wait for an ICC trophy came to an end with this victory.

“I think the MCG can be a great place for a World Test Championship Final”- Ravi Shastri

Since England is anticipated to host the ICC WTC finals for the next two cycles, the debate over venue selection has acquired more attention. The ICC WTC 2025-27 final will take place at the Lord’s Cricket Ground in London, with further finals set for 2029 and 2031, according to the International Cricket Council’s Future Tours Program. The latest attempt by the Board of Control for Cricket in India to host the ICC WTC 2025-27 final was not successful.

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has hailed England as the ideal venue for the summit clash, but suggested that as the tournament gains more global recognition, future finals could be held in larger stadiums in countries like Australia or India.

“I think to start off initially, it’s good if it’s here (Lord’s) actually. Once it gets the popularity and eyebrows it deserves, then it can start shifting. But I think the MCG can be a great place for a World Test Championship Final.“

“Ahmedabad can be a great place for the WTC Final. Basically, the places where you can draw a crowd. Because Lord’s is not a 100,000-seater stadium. So, irrespective of which team is playing, you know you will get a good crowd,” Shastri expressed during a Wisden Cricket podcast.

Venues in London have demonstrated their capacity to attract cricket fans who are impartial and appreciate the game’s conventional format. Ravi Shastri’s comments, however, raise the prospect of moving future ICC WTC finals to larger locations like Australia’s Melbourne Cricket Ground or India’s Narendra Modi Stadium.

As the ICC WTC grows in popularity around the world, these alternate stadiums might potentially accommodate a lot more spectators because they have far larger seating capacities than the majority of English venues. The tournament’s development and the increasing popularity of test cricket’s main event are indicated by the consideration of such sites.

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