WTC final: Virat Kohli’s India chase history, Kiwis present tough test

No matter the level of thrill the WTC final provides, it will be significant step in the process of recognising the role of Tests as the pre-eminent format of the game.

West Indies in 1975. India in 2007. The first winners of world championships have always found a special place in the history of cricket. Arguably the most prominent yet will be decided now. But that’s not the only reason to watch the World Test Championship final. Treat it as a celebration of two very contrasting styles of playing cricket. On the one hand we have the “nice guys” who are perennial bridesmaids when it comes to winning an ICC tournament. Facing them is cricket’s powerhouse, a perfect mix of youth and experience coming into its own thanks to an accomplished bowling attack that has finally been able to complement its staggering batting riches. What you would have normally watched bleary-eyed in the wee hours has now been given a prime-time slot.

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson (R) talks to India captain Virat Kohli. (AFP)

Watch it also because this is the first time an organised effort to add context to the game is coming to fruition. Think of the great sides to have missed out on an official tag of World Test Champions—Bradman’s Invincibles, that crack West Indies bunch of the 80’s and early 90’s, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting’s Australian teams—and you wonder how it would have played out then.

No matter the level of thrill the WTC final provides, it will be significant step in the process of recognising the role of Tests as the preeminent format of the game.

But it’s still very much an experiment that has to go through many cycles before finding a permanent window and becoming the norm. It will not match the hype of the Ashes or an India-Australia series any time soon. Test cricket still needs these bilateral thrillers. A three-match duel, as suggested by India coach Ravi Shastri, and the concept of playing in a neutral venue could really make the World Test Championship final a marquee event in the future. But for now, we have to contend with a one-off final between India and New Zealand in far-off Southampton with limited spectators and not a more traditional venue like Lord’s or the MCG only because the Ageas Bowl has an on-site hotel and we are in the middle of a pandemic.

As for the finalists, there is no doubt that India belong there, having beaten the top teams—except New Zealand!—at home and away in this two-year cycle. But New Zealand too have ticked all the boxes coming into this final. The only side to have defeated India (2-0 last year) in the Test Championship cycle, they arrived in Southampton after winning a series in England for the first time since 1999. Better acclimatised than India, New Zealand may not have faster bowlers but are definitely more proficient in swinging the ball. And while their batsmen, with the exception of Kane Williamson, lack the flair of their Indian counterparts, New Zealand are more adept at playing the patience game.

The batsmen more or less pick themselves on both sides. India has gone for both depth in both batting and bowling, having the luxury of picking Ravindra Jadeja as well as Ravichandran Ashwin in their playing XI. Both are great down the order with the bat and form a potent five-man bowling attack with Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma and Mohammad Shami. After the desperate heroics on the Australia tour earlier this year with most of the first-choice squad out with injuries, India is back to its most expected, most experienced line-up.

New Zealand, who haven’t named their XI, have a dilemma. With Trent Boult set to partner Tim Southee and Ajaz Patel as the lone spinner, the Kiwis need to weigh options for the fourth seamer if Neil Wagner—their second left-arm pacer— is picked. It may boil down to Colin de Grandhomme or Kyle Jamieson if they really want to rattle India with his height. A crucial factor influencing selection is the pitch, which is expected to be dry if conditions favour, but rain has been forecast on all six days (including reserve day). The curator has reportedly promised a pitch that will have carry and bounce but the ICC will quietly hope for a strip that offers some runs as well. A rain curtailed final where India didn’t put up a decent score could be a marketing nightmare if the ICC wants to build on the concept of the World Test Championship. Set aside the fickle English weather and we have the ingredients of an exhilarating cricket match based purely on the talent on display.

For the first time on a neutral pitch the game’s the two best batsmen in the world right now go up against each other in a final where neither team is a clear favourite. If India have the better spin resources, New Zealand have the edge in swing bowling. India may have bountiful batting but New Zealand know how to wear down bowlers over sessions. India are a skilled unit reinforced by a deep-seated belief that they can win anywhere and in any circumstance. Consecutive series wins in Australia and undisputable home supremacy has fuelled this belief. All they seek now are official bragging rights. Man-to-man, New Zealand are no less efficient. Side-lined in world cricket, be it in boardroom politics or getting raw deals like two-match series at home, New Zealand choose the field to show they mean business. They come with the momentum of outplaying England in every department of the game in Edgbaston, something very few teams have achieved in the past. And let’s not forget how luck was unkind to New Zealand in arguably the greatest World Cup final ever two years ago. This final is another opportunity to set the story straight.