'Big driver for us': Aussies out to clinch WTC final berth

A turning Sydney pitch may provide an ideal preview for their forthcoming subcontinental mission but Australia are placing an even greater emphasis on earning the right to play India in a Test on neutral turf later this year.

Up 2-0 in the NRMA Insurance Test series against South Africa, Pat Cummins' men will all but guarantee their maiden appearance in the World Test Championship (WTC) final if they can complete a clean sweep this week.

The Aussies will chase the holy grail of a Test series win in India during a four-match tour beginning next month, a feat only achieved once by an Australian men's team in the past 52 years.

An SCG track tipped to resemble the dry, spinning surfaces of decades past will provide an early indication of Australia's plans for conditions they have typically struggled in.

"It's a huge connection to India," Australia's captain told reporters on Tuesday. "Fast bowling and reverse swing is going to come into it, which we can expect in India.

"Probably get more spin overs here, our batters are probably going to face more spin here as well, so it's a really good connection.

"Even personally, captaining here might be a little different to the last few Test matches."

But the team's brains trust already have one eye fixed even beyond their bid to reclaim a Border-Gavaskar Trophy they have failed to win in their past three attempts, including twice at home.

With 10 wins from their past 14 Tests, Australia sit atop the WTC standings. Their last series in this ongoing cycle is the one in India, who are second with eight wins, and the two sides are firming as the most likely to face off in the second iteration of the WTC final.

The decider will be played at The Oval in London in June before Australia begin their five-Test Ashes campaign.

"It's been a big driver for us over the last couple of years," said Cummins. "I think playing in London (in) a final against India, say, at a neutral venue, that's really exciting."

New Zealand, who beat India to claim the first WTC in 2021, only narrowly qualified for the final over Australia, who would have topped them had they not fallen foul of the International Cricket Council's over-rate rules.

Australia were docked four points for being two overs behind in the 2020 Boxing Day Test, with then coach Justin Langer later admitting they had been unaware they were down on the required rate.

Cummins is eager to ensure that does not happen again.

"It was still a new concept so even things like overs rates – it wasn't really spoken about as importantly as perhaps what we think about it now," he said.

"Every point is vital. (Now there is) lots of communication with the umpires, they are always keeping us abreast of where we are.

"I think we got down to nine minutes down at one stage (in a recent Test) so we just made sure we had Trav Head or 'Smithy' (Steve Smith, two part-time spin bowlers) as an option and we got back basically within a couple of overs.

"Having just missed out on the World Test Championship final last cycle, that was always going to be a big goal.

"I think we've been playing fantastically, we've put ourselves in that position to earn that spot early which is a huge driver for us.

"It's always exciting going to England and playing an Ashes series, but adding in a World Test Championship final is huge."

Men's NRMA Insurance Test Series v South Africa

First Test: Australia won by six wickets

Second Test: Australia won by an innings and 182 runs

Jan 4-8: Third Test, SCG, 10.30am AEDT

Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Lance Morris, Nathan Lyon, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, David Warner

South Africa squad: Dean Elgar (c), Temba Bavuma, Gerald Coetzee, Theunis de Bruyn, Sarel Eree, Simon Harmer, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Heinrich Klaasen, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Rassie van der Dussen, Kyle Verreynne, Lizaad Williams, Khaya Zondo

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