India fast bowler Ishant Sharma on Friday stressed the importance of the upcoming World Test Championship final against New Zealand and said that the match is as big as a 50-over World Cup final. The Virat Kohli-led Indian team is in England before the all-important WTC final and the anticipation for the cracking contest, which kicks off from June 18th, has already reached its peak.
Speaking in a video uploaded on BCCI official website, Ishant said that the journey to the WTC final has been an emotional one for the players and added that wins in the last two Test series have boosted their confidence.
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"It's been a practical as well as emotional journey, and this is an ICC tournament which is as big as 50 over WC final," Ishant said.
"Virat (Kohli) has said this is not our sweat and hard work of just one month but over a period of two years. We had to work harder because of Covid, then rule change happened and we were under pressure and then we won a tough series in Australia. We came back against England as we had to win 3-1."
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{{/usCountry}}His partner in crime Mohammed Shami further agreed with Ishant and said that the series win Down Under has helped Team India in believing they can beat New Zealand.
"I think the belief that we can come back from anywhere was huge. It helped Indian cricket enter the next phase. Even though I wasn't a part, I felt that series gave a different kind of self-belief," Shami said.