On Friday, rain washed out the whole first day of play in the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC) final between India and New Zealand at Southampton. The coin toss could not even take place because the area was kept under cover all day.
Better weather is expected for the weekend, with play scheduled to begin at 2.30 IST on Saturday. In any case, organisers have set aside a reserve day to make up for a lost time. The one-off match concludes a two-year cycle of the inaugural WTC, which was created in 2019 to provide a summit event for Test cricket.
Toss:
On Day 2 of the first World Test Championship final at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson won the toss and chose to bowl first against India. New Zealand has four specialised fast bowlers and one seam bowler in all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme. India, on the other hand, has kept the playing XI that was declared on Thursday. The first day was ruined by rain and bad weather.
Kane Williamson:
The New Zealand captain, Kane Williamson, believes they will make the most of the situation given the circumstances. They have chosen four frontline seamers, he continues. Adds that India is the finest team in the world and that they are excited to be facing them in the final. BJ Watling is mentioned as a strong leader inside the team. It’s a fantastic opportunity for him to play his final game. Finally, they state that they have been attempting to qualify for two years and are grateful to be here.
Virat Kohli:
The Indian captain, Virat Kohli, stated that they would have like to bowl first as well, but runs on the board have been their strength as well, and they would try to put runs on the board. In terms of adjusting the playing XI based on the conditions, Kohli believes that they have remained with the same eleven that was declared, that the balance in their side is excellent, and that the spinners may come in if needed. They need to be more professional here, he believes, and their quality of cricket in the last 4-5 years has been fantastic.
Playing XI of Both Teams:
India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah
New Zealand (Playing XI): Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson(c), Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, BJ Watling(w), Colin de Grandhomme, Kyle Jamieson, Neil Wagner, Tim Southee, Trent Boult
