3 Indian batsmen in WTC final squad with most Test runs at The Oval in London

India and Australia will lock horns in the World Test Championship final at Kennington Oval, London, starting June 7. It will be a battle between two of the best bowling sides in Test cricket presently.

Both teams have been plagued with a fragile middle order lately in the 2-year cycle, which means bowlers will feel a little more responsibility for the contest.

In the absence of Rishabh Pant, who has been the pillar of the Indian lower middle order along with Ravindra Jadeja, the Indian team has their work cut out.

The Oval in London has always been known for being an excellent surface for batting for the first three days. Historically, it’s a drier and harder surface that provides good bounce and carry. The rough surface can also help the ball scuff up, which could bring reverse swing into play. So, both spinners and pacers will have something to look forward to, but it would still be a good wicket to bat on.

If we talk about Indian batsmen's records at the Oval, then Rahul Dravid tops the list with 443 runs in just three tests at a Bradmanesque average of 110.75. This time, Dravid would be at The Oval in the capacity of the Indian team's coach.

Talking about the current Indian side, KL Rahul with 249 runs in two matches and Pant with 178 runs in two matches, make it to the list of the highest run scorers at the venue.

So, what about the Indian batsmen who are going to feature in the World Test Championship final?

In this article, we will discuss those Indian batsmen who have had a pretty healthy performance at the Kennington Oval in London over the years.

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#3 Ravindra Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja during the 2018 Test at The Oval where he played an impressive knock

Ravindra Jadeja has had some great outings at the Oval, where he has not only picked up 11 wickets in just two matches but has also scored 126 runs.

Who can forget one of his grittiest knocks - of 86* - he played against England in 2018. It was his comeback match, and he, along with Hanuma Vihari, bailed India out of the hole and reduced what would have been a 100+ run deficit to only 40 runs. He also picked up a four-fer in that match but couldn't save the Test for India.

#2 Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma has played only one Test at the Oval, but he managed to amass 138 runs in that game, in 2021, including his match-winning hundred of 127.

This knock came in the 3rd innings of the Test against England, after India had conceded a lead of 99 runs and needed to bat out of their skin to save the Test.

Rohit, who got out playing away from the body in the first innings, decided to play more cautiously and close to his body, thus reducing the chances of false shots.

His century not only helped India win the Test but also cemented his status as a Test opener.

#1 Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli doesn't have a century at The Oval yet

Virat Kohli, who has had his share of success and failure at this ground, still managed to score 169 runs in three matches.

His tortuous 2014 tour saw him edging everything outside off, with James Anderson and Stuart Broad making him their bunny.

However, on his next Test tour to England, in 2018, Kohli roared back and scored over 500 runs in the five-match series. He did have to work hard for his runs, especially Anderson, but he didn't get out even once to the great English seamer.

On the next Test tour of England, in 2021, Kohli was in the middle of a dry patch and didn't produce any big innings. Still, he managed to score 50 and 44 in the first and third innings, respectively, which helped India beat the English side comprehensively.