WTC 2021 Final: Dilip Vengsarkar opines which team holds advantage in the inaugural WTC final

India and New Zealand will lock horns in the WTC final in Southampton.

The World Test Championship final is due to be played from June 18 to 22 | GettyThe cricket fans and experts are fairly excited for the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC) final, scheduled to be played between India and New Zealand in Southampton from June 18-22.

With Kiwis playing two Tests against England before the WTC final, everyone is giving them an advantage for the marquee game but former India batsman Dilip Vengsarkar thinks otherwise.

According to Vengsarkar, India have a more all-round unit while New Zealand have a few world-class performers in their ranks.

"If you compare the New Zealand team to the Indian team, man to man, India looks the better team," Vengsarkar told Khaleej Times.

"Of course, Trent Boult is a world-class bowler and Kane Williamson is a world-class batsman. But India is a more all-round team. We have got quality spinners (Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja), we have got quality fast bowlers (Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj) and quality batters as well," he added.

Vengsarkar, who boasts an impressive Test record on English soil, also urged Indian batsmen to support Virat Kohli.

The Indian skipper was the lone warrior in the batting department during the 2018 tour, amassing 593 runs in five Tests with two centuries and three fifties.

While Cheteshwar Pujara (278 runs in four Tests), Ajinkya Rahane (257 runs in five Tests), Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul (one century each) had performed in patches, the batting as a whole failed to do the job.

"There are talented players in the (Indian) team. Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, they are world-class cricketers. But it is also important for other players to chip in, you know, because you can't depend only on two players. If you are playing Test match cricket, everybody has to contribute," Vengsarkar remarked.

 
 

By Salman Anjum - 06 Jun, 2021

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