- June 15, 2025
Test cricket may be the oldest format, but don’t let that detract from the unrivaled test of skill, character, and mental toughness it is to this day. The 2023–25 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle had a handful of nail-biting passages of play; however, the more incredible aspect was the breathtaking innings played under immense pressure. Not just hundreds, declarations. Whether they were steadfast to save the game or splendid, to win the match, here are three innings we will never forget from this WTC cycle, and they show us why Test cricket reigns supreme.
Aiden Markram’s Lord’s Epic: Calm, Class, and a Championship Sealed
Let’s say you are chasing 282 at Lord’s in a WTC Final against Australia. The enormity of the event feels weighty, and the significance of the moment cannot be dismissed. South Africa had not won an ICC trophy in 27 years until Aiden Markram walked in.
His 136 off 207 balls was not the most entertaining innings, but it was methodical, reasoned, and under huge pressure. With the utter commotion around him, he absorbed all pressure, rotated the strike, and put down every Australian revival with a chilling calm.
When he was dismissed with just six runs remaining, it was already a job done. This wasn’t just another hundred – this was history, created with temperament, grit, and ruthless intent.
Ollie Pope in Hyderabad: Bazball’s Finest Chapter
When England made a tour to India in early 2024, it was all about Bazball versus India’s spinners, and the ultimate test was on. After England scored only 24,6 with India scoring 436, it looked like game over. Then Ollie Pope arrived to smash a dent in their hopes and did it with style.
Ollie Pope’s 196 off 278 balls was not only his best innings but also a masterclass in Indian batting. As he swept, used soft hands at the crease, and maintained his composure for hours on end, he was able to frustrate India’s excellent spinners and control the game. A combination of Bazball aggression and traditional Test patience helped England to a total of 420 in the second innings, setting up an exciting and memorable win by 28 runs.
Pope’s innings was reinforcing evidence, in what had been a rather muted WTC cycle so far, that he is England’s man of responsibility under pressure.
Yashasvi Jaiswal at Perth: The Bounce-Back Brilliance
Comebacks are incredible. Yashasvi Jaiswal could not have had a worse start to his Australian tour with an eight-ball duck in the first innings of the Perth Test. However, our relationship with both success and failure reflects who we are. And Jaiswal fought back in style.
Targeted by an aggressive Aussie attack on a lively Perth pitch, he produced a sensational 161 from 297 balls in the second innings. His composure was brilliant, he had a composed defense when necessary, played common-sense aggression when there was time, and he was slowly sucking the energy out of the bowlers. He played an exceptional innings to set up a big total and an eventual 295 win in the first game of the series.
These three knocks weren’t just innings but moments that defined a series filled with moments of turning points. From Markram’s ice-cool crescendo to Pope’s miracle in Hyderabad, to Jaiswal’s remarkable comeback against the Australians, every one of these knocks brought a level of emotion, drama, and skill only the purest form of our game can offer.
Which one (if none – then any) gave you goosebumps? Or is there a ‘hidden gem’ knock from the entire WTC cycle that you would add to this list?
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