This is what it has all come down to. South Africa. Australia. Lord's. The championship game for the World Test. Two teams that merit being at the mecca of cricket. The reigning champions Australia are competing in their second WTC championship match. Their first, South Africa. Australia are by far the favorites coming into this, and for good reason. This group has triumphed in several ICC competitions. Winning major ICC events, no. As the current World Champions in Tests and ODIs, they are seeking to add another illustrious feather to their hat. However, they are opposed by a side that is courageous, has no baggage, and has nothing to lose. They have never won a World Cup or any ICC event, with the exception of the 1998 Champions Trophy knockout. The Proteas are not immune to heartbreak, but they are adept at causing it. You will get the answer if you ask Ricky Ponting's guys about what occurred at the Bullring on March 12, 2006.

But in ICC competitions, Australia has consistently outperformed South Africa. No explanation is necessary for the 1999 semifinal at Edgbaston, nor for the semi-final of the 2023 World Cup in India. However, these two teams are still the ones that can go head to head. This is already prepared for a lot. Pat Cummins has never lost an ICC final that he has played in, but Temba Bavuma has not yet lost a Test match in South Africa. Also, pay attention to this. With their captain ‘Lord’ Bavuma in red-hot form, South Africa has won seven consecutive Test matches.

However, the narrative outside is rather one-sided, especially given how evenly matched this competition is and the fact that Australia and South Africa last met in a Test match in January. Prior to the major match, several famous former Australian and South African cricketers spoke about the potential outcome and their forecast for winning the ICC mace. And by god, the verdict is a landslide.

The following is how some of the legends responded:

On the Beyond23 Cricket Podcast, former World Cup-winning captain Michael Clarke said that Australia is undoubtedly the favorite team to win. It's great to see that we're back to playing Test cricket. Over the course of five days, players in white. This shift to Test cricket is really exciting now that the IPL has just ended. Although underappreciated, South Africa is worthy of its current position. However, Australia is and ought to be the frontrunner. The bowling attack of this experienced Australian squad is outstanding. Without a doubt, they are the favorites in this Test match.

"Australia are the favourites. But we'll have to come from behind," former South Africa wicketkeeper-batter Mark Boucher told ESPNcricinfo.

Former Australia captain Aaron Finch echoed this view on ESPNcricinfo, saying, "I think Australia are still the favourites, especially on neutral territory."

Former South African captain Shaun Pollock told Sky Sports, "Hopefully, things turn out well for South Africa. This will be the first game between these two teams using the Duke ball. That should be fascinating as well. I won't sit here and argue that we have any chance of winning, but I suppose at the end of the day, we are in the final, and we kind of have a chance.

"Yes, Australia win," former Australia wicketkeeper batsman Brad Haddin said on the LiSTNR Sport podcast. I think that Pat [Cummins] and [Josh] Hazlewood will be difficult to deal with. In the IPL, Hazlewood bowled at a fast speed. Sometimes he was going more than 140. He had class. That's who he was. They were a different team, even when Pat got the new ball.

On OFM.co.za, former South African fast bowler Allan Donald said, "Let's not beat around the bush. Australia are definitely favorites. I just think with what they have in their arsenal, both in terms of batting and bowling – it's a lot." With the bat, they have significant quality, and with the ball, they have a lot of firepower. However, the South African team is resilient. Throughout their campaign, they've repeatedly demonstrated that they can somehow unearth something and dig really deep when they're thrown a curveball.

Not a single vote for South Africa, as previously stated. Temba Bavuma need not seek elsewhere for inspiration if he is reading this.

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