The WTC Final between India and New Zealand will start on Friday (June 18) in Southampton.
Former England captains Michael Vaughan and Alastair Cook backed New Zealand to win the upcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final against India starting on Friday (June 18) in Southampton given their latest show against England.
Vaughan has admitted that he would “get absolute pelters on social media” for going against Team India, but said “high-class” New Zealand is the absolute winner of the World Test Championship mace considering the way they played and won the recent two-match Test series against England.
Vaughan told BBC: “I fancy New Zealand. I know I'm going to get absolute pelters on social media for going against India. But the way New Zealand played in the two Tests against England; I think they're going to do it. They are a high-class cricket team - I like every aspect of their game.”
The commentator further added, “New Zealand plays long periods of disciplined cricket, with bat and ball. They bat with great maturity and read the situation perfectly. If you analyze Test cricket, generally it is the side that is able to cover all the bases the longest that wins, and New Zealand are able to do that because they have a very skillful bowling attack.”
New Zealand head into the fixture on the back of a 1-0 Test series victory over hosts England last week while the last red-ball match India featured in was in March.
Meanwhile, Cook said New Zealand – who is coming into the WTC 2021 Final against the Indian cricket team on the back of a 1-0 Test series win in England – is going to win the WTC Final in Southampton as he feels the “match-sharpness” will work in the favor of Kane Williamson and his team against India.
He continued, “New Zealand is going to win. They're two matches further into match-sharpness after the series win against England – they're used to playing under pressure and in English conditions.”
The Englishman also bats for the inclusion of the left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel into the Playing XI for the WTC 2021 Final but said it would force them to leave out one of Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, or Matt Henry against Team India.
Cook further noted, “The only thing they've got to deal with is the selection question – and getting the balance of the side right. I hope they go in with Ajaz Patel, the left-arm spinner. But that means one of their big four seam bowlers - Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, or Matt Henry - who have done such a good job for them, isn't going to play.”
On the other hand, former England Women pacer and current cricket analyst Isa Guha said India has the depth in the squad with quality batters and an equally potent bowling attack to stun the Kiwis.
Guha mentioned, “I'm going to go for India. They have got tremendous depth in their squad, the big guns are back and they are a quality outfit under the leadership of Virat Kohli.”
She concluded, “They've got an unbelievable top six – Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant are a world-beating line-up and they've got pace bowlers to back it up. They have a wonderful bowling attack, probably the best in the history of Indian cricket.”
(With PTI Inputs)