The World Test Championship 2021 will witness India and New Zealand lock horns against each other in the inaugural WTC Final. The competition which spanned for over two years saw plenty of enthralling five-day matches. Interestingly, both India and New Zealand battled against some strong teams and emerged victorious to make it to the inaugural WTC final. Hence, the table-toppers in the World Test Championship will face each other to earn the elusive in a five-day Test starting June 18 at Southampton.
Talking about the squad, the Virat Kohli-led Indian side would look to continue their dominant Test run. Ranked No.1 in the ICC Test Rankings, Team India has chased down milestones one after another in the past two years. However, the BlackCaps will leave no stones unturned to claim a spot in history with a win against the favorites in the Test Championship Final. New Zealand is a quality opposition and has able players who can help them claim the most prized trophy in Test cricket.
Here’s a look at 3 reasons why New Zealand can beat India to win the ICC World Test Championship Final 2021:
1. Home-like physical conditions in England
New Zealand will feel confident going into the WTC Final 2021 knowing that their home conditions can be best replicated in England. The sudden change in weather and the abundant experience to adapt to those conditions would certainly help Kiwis in going a long way in the finale.
The bouncy surfaces along with a tinge of green can aid them to keep the Indian batters on the backfoot. The trio of Kane Williamson, Trent Boult, and Ross Taylor, can prove vital in New Zealand's success against India. Also, given that Kiwis will play a two-match Test series against England in the lead-up to the WTC Final, could provide them an edge over Kohli's men.
2. A Solid Middle-order
The Kiwi top-order has often found itself in disarray against some quality bowling attacks before their solid middle-order has rendered support to resurrect the damage. Just like most top-order batters in modern times, New Zealand has also faced inconsistency issues with their openers. Therefore, the BlackCaps have an array of players who discharge their duties in the middle-order with full commitment.
The experienced likes of Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, and BJ Watling have played that role of stabilizing the innings. The experience of Kane Williamson becomes very handy who can bind the entire batting order with his ability to occupy the crease for long periods of time. Hence, even in the WTC final, while the Indian attack might rip through the Kiwi top-order, it will be their strong middle-order that will have to come to the team's rescue.
3. Experience to handle pressure situations
In recent few years, the Indian cricket team has failed to cross the last few hurdles in some of the World ICC events. On the other hand, the Williamson-led side has always pushed above their weight in doing upsets along the way. Even in the World Cup 2019, India lost to New Zealand in a Semi-Final where they went in with favorites.
Despite this being an altogether different format, the disappointment of losing crunch moments would surely play in Indian players' back of the mind. This can also boost Kiwis with a probability of taking down their opponents after having done it in the past.
