“Why Not Ahmedabad?” – Ravi Shastri’s Big Suggestion For Future WTC Final Venues

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri believes that the World Test Championship (WTC) Final should be played at larger venues in the future.

While praising Lord’s in London as a good starting point, he feels that stadiums like the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad and the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Australia can also be great options.

Shastri Suggests WTC Final Can Move to Bigger Venues

In a recent podcast with Wisden Cricket, Shastri said that Lord’s has tradition, but the WTC Final deserves to be played at places where more people can watch live from the stands.

“Lord’s is a good venue, but it’s not a 100,000-seater. Once the WTC Final becomes more popular, it can be hosted at bigger stadiums like the MCG or Ahmedabad. These are places where a huge crowd can show up, no matter which teams are playing,” Shastri said.

So far, the WTC Final has always been held in England. The 2021 final between India and New Zealand was played in Southampton, while The Oval hosted the 2023 final between India and Australia.

This year’s final returned to London, with South Africa beating Australia at Lord’s to end their 27-year ICC trophy wait.

Why England Keeps Hosting the Final

England has been chosen repeatedly because it draws neutral cricket fans and supports red-ball cricket well. According to reports, Lord’s could also host the finals in 2027, 2029, and 2031.

BCCI had tried to bring the 2027 WTC Final to India, but their bid was rejected. The ICC preferred to continue with England due to its consistent support for Test matches between neutral teams.

Still, Shastri believes that if the WTC keeps growing, India and Australia can be excellent hosts in the future.