The World Test Series Championship final is closing in on us, and one of the teams is already showing signs of being ready for the big clash. India will square off against New Zealand in Southampton, England, with the winner to be crowned champions. On Thursday, the BCCI shared glimpses of the Indian practice, with some impressive shots of captain Virat Kohli putting on a great display. The one-minute video showed a high-intensity training atmosphere, and if you have been betting on cricket, you would know that India looks like it is in the right frame of mind to take the trophy home.
Virat Kohli’s team is no stranger to will face Kane Williamson’s New Zealand and know just how much of a battle it will be to determine the world’s ultimate test team. However, while India could be called the favourites, many believe New Zealand might have a slight advantage. They gained significant match experience and familiarity with the terrain when they played a two-test series against England.
Well, India is not late. The team tried to negate that factor as the players entered the groove, looking like a million bucks. However, BCCI shared a one-minute video clip on Thursday, which proved that Indian players are getting up to speed fast. Almost all of the players featured in the short video, including Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Cheteshwar Pujara, R Ashwin, Rishabh Pant and many more, indicate that with just over a week into the WTC Finals, the players have touched the straps.
The Indian cricket team landed in the UK earlier this month and, as per protocol, had to undergo a mandatory quarantine. The isolation rules were so strict that left-arm spinner Axar Patel revealed that even the players were not allowed to meet for three days. But that didn’t stop players from enjoying the panoramic view of the Ageas Bowl. Along with the players staying at the Hilton, nearly every member of the Indian squad shared the panoramic footage of the Ageas Bowl.
Earlier this week, Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja shared the first training photos. Five days ago, BCCI shared a beautiful picture of the Ageas Bowl, with the caption ‘Perfect setup for training.’
As India prepares for the match that may well be the culmination of their hard work of the past two years, they would be aware that New Zealand is the bogey team for ICC events. The last time India beat New Zealand in an ICC event was at the 2003 World Cup. Since then, New Zealand has beaten India in the 2007 T20 World Cup. 2016 T20 World and the 2019 World Cup Semi-Final in England. On the other hand, New Zealand has also had some heartbreaks in recent years in its pursuit of the ultimate prize. A lot will go into play in this final, but at the end of the day, the winner will be the team that wants it more.
India’s practice session took place at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton, the all-important World Test Championships final venue. Here are posts of the training pics from our Instagram feed.
