This Week in Cricket #178: World Test Championship Final preview, RCB wins IPL 2025 & NZ's new coach

In this episode of the show, it's a full house and a packed runsheet with RCB winning IPL 2025, the Black Caps naming a new coach and an updated central contract list, England announcing their squad for the first Test against India and preview of the World Test Championship Final between Australia and South Africa. We start the show by talking about the IPL final, which saw Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeat the Punjab Kings to take out the title for the first time in 18 years. There's praise for Krunal Pandya's match-defining spell, RCB's middle order and a generous backyard cricket invitation for Virat Kohli now that he's ticked another item off his bucket list. Next we move to New Zealand to talk Black Caps announcements, with Rob Walter named as the new head coach with the latest batch of central contracts offered shortly after. There's talk about the faith shown in Walter by NZC, Gary Stead's legacy, the uncharacteristically youthful look to the contract list and Devon Conway's future. We swing back to the UK to discuss another announcement - this time the England squad for the first Test against India. Gus Atkinson is out with injury and Jofra Archer's not quite ready, so does that leave England with enough bowling quality to take 20 wickets? And will there be a spot in the starting XI for Jacob Bethell? To round out the show, we discuss the upcoming World Test Championship Final between Australia and South Africa at Lord's. Who will open for the Aussies? Where will Cameron Green slot in? Can South Africa score enough runs to challenge? What should we expect from the pitch? Does the WTC have a scheduling problem? And who will win? We'll be back in your feed next week to review the WTC final and preview the India v England Test series. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website. You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening. 0:00 Intro 1:55 RCB wins IPL 2025 8:10 Where to now for Virat Kohli? 10:10 A word on the Punjab Kings 14:50 Rob Walter appointed Black Caps' coach 21:10 Gary Stead's legacy 27:00 Youthful look to NZ's central contract list 28:45 Devon Conway's international future 33:45 Adi Ashok in, Ajaz Patel and Ish Sodhi out 36:15 England's bowling stocks to take on India 43:15 Is there room for Jacob Bethell? 47:50 World Test Championship Final Preview 48:45 Australia's batting selection questions 59:55 Is South Africa's batting lineup a concern? 1:05:25 What should we expect to from Lord's? 1:08:55 Does the WTC Final have a scheduling problem? 1:11:45 Predictions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices