Virat Kohli’s 4 U19 World Cup batchmates who have won the WTC title ft. Steve Smith

Australia take on South Africa in the final of the 2023-25 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle from Wednesday, June 11. Currently, the Aussies, batting first, seem to be in a precarious situation at 109-4 in the second session of play at Lord's.

Australia are playing their second consecutive WTC final after having first won the title in 2023 by beating India at the Oval in London. India, interestingly, also played in the inaugural WTC final, held in Southampton, England, in 2021.

Back then, the Indians had come up against New Zealand, but were soundly beaten by the Kiwis by eight wickets. Virat Kohli, who was a part of the Indian side on both occasions, failed to get his hands on this illustrious title.

Kohli, who recently called it quits from Test cricket, has just one title missing from his trophy cabinet - the WTC mace. Interestingly, however, four of his batchmates from the 2008 ICC Under-19 World Cup have already got their hands on it.

In this piece, we take a look at who they are:

#4 Tim Southee

Tom Latham, Tim Southee, Devon Conway and Trent Boult of New Zealand celebrate winning in the dressing rooms after winning the ICC World Test Championship Final between India and New Zealand at The Ageas Bowl on June 23, 2021 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Gareth Copley-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)

Seamer Tim Southee is among the four batchmates of Virat Kohli to lift the WTC title. Southee achieved this feat in 2021 when New Zealand defeated India in the final, played at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Southampton, England. Southee had a poor first innings, finishing with figures of 1-64.

However, he turned things around in dramatic fashion in the second and returned with figures of 4-48 in 18 overs. India were bowled out for a measly 170 in their second innings, with Southee accounting for Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah with his seaming deliveries.

#3 Trent Boult

Trent Boult, a part of the New Zealand team in the 2008 ICC Under-19 World Cup, won the WTC title alongside Southee in 2021. In that game, where the Kiwis defeated India by eight wickets, Boult picked up 2-47 in the first innings and 3-39 in the second. The left-arm seamer is, subsequently, held in awe by everyone in India.

In the second innings, Boult was able to get the ball to move both ways, tormenting the Indian batters with his line and length. Eventually, he saw the back of Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant and Ravichandran Ashwin, who were all key batters for India, and who possessed the quality to save the day for them.

#2 Kane Williamson

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson poses with ICC World Test Championship mace during the ICC World Test Championship Final Winners Photocall at Hambledon Cricket Club on June 24, 2021 in Hambledon, England. (Photo by Gareth Copley-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)

New Zealand's Kane Williamson was the first captain ever to get his hands on the WTC title, when he did so by beating India in the 2021 final, played at the Rose Bowl in Southampton, England. Williamson did an excellent job in marshalling his troops in that final, rotating his bowlers well and setting accurate fields for them.

With the bat in hand, Williamson scored 49 in the first innings and was unbeaten on 52 in the second when his team chased down India's meagre target of 139 quite comfortably. Although Ross Taylor hit the winning runs (flicking one off his legs off Mohammed Shami), Williamson played a vital part in this victory.

In the 2008 Under-19 World Cup, Williamson was the captain of the Kiwis, who were beaten by eventual champions India in the semifinals via the DL method. After opening the innings, Williamson had scored a labored 37 in that game, playing 80 deliveries. Interestingly, he was stumped out in that game by the bowling of none other than Kohli!

#1 Steve Smith

Steve Smith is another of Kohli's batchmates from the 2008 Under-19 World Cup who won the WTC title in 2023. Once again, India had arrived at the final on the back of some brilliant performances in the two-year cycle, but had to endure heartbreak, this time from Australia.

Smith scored 121 in Australia's first innings score of 469 in this game, and followed it up with 34 in the second innings. India, who were bowled out for 289 in the first dig, conceded a huge lead to the Aussies. Eventually, India fell short by 209 runs when chasing a gargantuan target of 446 runs in the fourth innings of the match.