'There's the chance for Virat Kohli': Parthiv Patel on importance of WTC final for India captain

Former India wicketkeeper-batsman Parthiv Patel believes the upcoming World Test Championship final against New Zealand will be Virat Kohli's chance to get his hands on a ICC trophy as the captain of India.

Virat Kohli is already the most successful Indian Test captain but an ICC trophy still continues to elude him. Kohli has led India in the 2017 Champions Trophy (India finished as runner-up) and in the 2019 World Cup (India reached the semifinals) but despite playing some quality cricket India did not manage to emerge as winners. Therefore, former India wicketkeeper-batsman Parthiv Patel believes the upcoming World Test Championship final against New Zealand will be Kohli's chance to get his hands on an ICC trophy as the captain of India.

Virat Kohli (Getty Images)

Kohli will lead in the inaugural WTC final against a strong New Zealand side. It will be played at a neutral venue - The Ageas Bowl in Southampton, England.

"This is the ultimate format of cricket and everyone wants to become a Test player and now there's a World Cup of Test Championship.

"Now there is a chance for Virat Kohli - who has been eluded from the ICC trophy. He has led India in a couple of ICC tournaments, but this is big, winning the Test championship would be a big feather in his cap," Parthiv told Star Sports.

Another former India cricketer Ajit Agarkar said everyone will remember the winners of the first-ever WTC.

"It is a big deal. Everyone remembers the first person to get to any sort of landmark and that's what makes it special. So, to be involved and particularly in the middle when the rules changed, the percentages came into play when India was way ahead at one point, they still had to get the job done. Both teams will be up for it and both teams will be very excited to be a part of it."

The playing conditions confirm that a draw or a tie will see both teams crowned as joint winners as well as the allocation of a Reserve Day to make up for any lost time during the regular days of the Final - scheduled to be played from June 18 to 22. June 23 has been set aside as the Reserve Day.

The match will be played using Grade 1 Dukes cricket balls.

Talking about the importance of WTC, Kohli in the pre-departure virtual press conference had said: "I agree. I think this(WTC) holds a lot of value, especially this being the first of its kind. It is the toughest format as Ravi Bhai mentioned. We take a lot of pride in playing Test cricket and the way we have progressed as a side is an example of what Test cricket means to us. So for all of us as a unit, this is like an accumulation of all the hard work of the last five-six years where we started to come up the ranks as a side and we are just happy to take the opportunity to play the finals."