Big Picture
Imagine that the custodians of Test cricket, to assess the future health of the grand old game, send a representative from its golden age through time and space to watch the inaugural World Test Championship final in 2021.
You can take your pick as to when exactly that golden age may have been, but whatever the year of their origin, any time-traveler landing in Southampton this week can assume that Test cricket was in dire straits. Here, at last, is the game's brand new showpiece opportunity, more than a decade after endless false starts—screaming about a fundamental lack of trust in the product, more than anything.
And instead of taking its rightful place at Lord's, Eden Gardens or the MCG, the competition is diverted to a souped-up service station on the less-travelled east-bound carriageway of the M27, where it will be served for the next five days (or six). India and New Zealand have been braced for torrential weather over the past two years as an abuse of the WTC format - not least from the new ICC president, Greg Barkley, who announced on the day of his investment last autumn that it would Was "not fit for purpose".
In keeping with the UK's current lockdown restrictions, a maximum of 4000 people will be allowed to watch the spectacle a day - 25% of capacity. The figure may have been four days and the government's so-called Independence Day, June 21, but that date is a can that has been dropped on the road for another day.
So you can say that there is a lot of conspiracy to spoil the mood.
There is, however, an alternate narrative, even slightly heavier than those who claim to love and nurture the sport, that may resonate above this current air of mild nostalgia.
The WTC final will take place at the now-famous Ageas Bowl, cricket's original bio-secure venue, despite a once-in-a-generation global pandemic, the existence of which unequivocally saved the ECB's bacon in the summer of 2020, and the wider cricketing world How to ensure that the show runs in this time.
The competition will, undeniably and thankfully, also feature two of the best Test teams in the world.
Nothing has been pretty about the permutations on the WTC tables. The pandemic wreaked havoc on the Future Tours program that had to introduce a single point average to reduce the rush of canceled series. But after flirting with the two defunct organisations, England and Australia, it is India and New Zealand who have reached the top of the tree, and regardless of how the days ahead, it will be hard to wish for two better representatives for the Tests. cricket in 2021, both as a statement of its current health, and as an expression of its future hopes.
First and foremost, India's presence is sacred. He's here because he's an exquisite, well-rounded outfit, unbeatable at home and now unstoppable overseas, as his stunning, bare-bones victory in Australia last winter testifies. But their huge market presence also gives hope for a format of TV viewership, sponsorship interest, administrative buy-in - long term traction. Everything we wish didn't matter so much in elite level play, but what we consider to be important to the cause.
India's possible absence from such a showpiece was, after all, the main sticking point in the broadcast negotiations for the format's earlier failed attempts. And now, as it happens, almost the opposite situation applies. After the postponement of last month's IPL, India's daily sports regimen has zero so much gap that this one-sided contest has one more opportunity to seize the limelight and narrative - if the season can give it half a chance, of course. From.
But then there is New Zealand - David to India Goliath, the stone in their shoes, as Thomas Tuchel said of Chelsea's Champions League victory over Manchester City. They are a team that has become used to being protected as plucky underdogs, but they did some serious work in their six-year journey into the game's top echelons through Brendon McCullum's heavy-metal cricket at the 2015 World Cup. Has shown sharp teeth, Kane Williamson's more optimistic but no less intense leadership in recent years.
Back in the 2019 World Cup, it was quietly suggested that New Zealand had overtaken the Big Three party after beating India in their semi-final match at Old Trafford. However, the extraordinary events of that subsequent final against England proved beyond all question that he had a right to be considered among cricket's on-field elite.
As a model of what cricket can be when it looks beyond the selfishness of its big boys, New Zealand's achievements in recent years have been nothing short of heroic. Apart from 1.2 billion Indians after such painful near-misses in recent ICC campaigns, who would want them to taste silverware?
Most fundamentally, the WTC Finals is the start of something new for an ancient format. It has taken 150 years for the game to reach this point: the desire to cap Test cricket's eternal search for context with a true coronation event.
In recent times there have indeed been title fights, but usually only of a dynastic nature – perhaps most famously, Australia's epic series win in the Caribbean in 1994–95, the moment the two-decade hegemony of the West Indies finally ended. . The world rankings have added an extra frisson in recent years, especially since the introduction of the ICC Test mace in 2003, but all too often handover moments have been weak and debatable, compared to heavyweight knock-outs by Duckworth-Lewis. recalculation more.
In the end, though, the game has got its moment, and there are two sides to savor. New Zealand have warmed up, if that's the right word, with a significant achievement in its own right - the first series win in England since 1999, courtesy of full team performances in two Tests at Lord's and Edgbaston. From Devon Conway's form on debut at Lord's to Tim Southee's enduring display of swing bowling in the same game, he has shown a consistency that goes beyond mere experience, and Williamson's elbow, bent to one side, is better suited for his shot. The place could not be expected. glory.
In contrast, in India it has been the practice of whistling only inside a team since its arrival in England. Yet they have the quality depth within their ranks to rehearse for most contingencies, and have been adapting during their build-up period at Southampton, so can't get better from the vagaries of the ground - At least not Australian style acreage. Huge outfield.
Despite plotting against this concept, the time has finally come to reach the pinnacle of Test cricket. Better late than never.
Form guide
India: WWWLW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand: WDWWW
In the headlines
During India's recent home series against England, Rohit Sharma's performance was excellent at times. His 161 on the first day in Chennai was higher than his opponents in four of his next six completed innings, while his mastery in ultra-spinning conditions in Ahmedabad provided an even greater difference in the class. And yet, he arrives in England with a crucial point to prove, watching the Gulf at his home and the average being threatening to become a ditch in every way. In 18 Test matches in India, he averages 79.52, including seven centuries and six fifties; Elsewhere in the world fell from 20 matches to 27.00, his highest score outside Asia coming seven years ago in Auckland, when he scored 72 from No. The challenge of the swing ball, especially Trent Boult's right-hander back in the arc, will be crucial for the entire Indian line-up, but the top-order man has the form and stature to set the tone for his team when Till he heeds the advice of VVS Laxman, and concentrates on the whereabouts of his off-stump.
Kane Williamson's long-standing elbow injury is often said to have caused a "burn" in the joint, which is arguably the only time New Zealand's extraordinarily chilled-out captain has suffered such a blow. A dirty feeling appears. Williamson missed out on the Edgbaston win and gave himself every chance to be fully fit for it, the culmination of his five-year stint as Test captain, and whatever the long-term forecast, he reclaimed his place at No. The work needed to be done has been done. Taking a cortisone injection in the lead-up to the match, which he described as "good" with typical under-statements. Like McCullum before him, Williamson's personality is imprinted on his team - likable, tougher than anyone gives him credit, and completely considered a touch lethargic if it allows him to complete his repertoire. Gives room to expand. This week he has been ousted by Steven Smith as the ICC's No. 1 ranked batsman, but it is a week, in a long time, when such a ranking could be second only to tangible rewards. If Williamson bats longer, his team has more chance to play their part around him.
Team news
New Zealand made six changes to their series-sealing win at Edgbaston last week, and they pieced together a perfect match-winning outfit from the outer edge of their squad. From Will Young at No. 3 to Matt Henry, with their player-of-the-match winner, to Ajaz Patel, who has now officially surpassed Mitchell Santner as the team's lead spinner, each of the XI The man made his performance. Duty to give a serious dilemma to the team management. Ross Taylor's mind-boggling over-matter 80 would have been enough to reinvigorate his hold at No. 4, while - fitness permitting - BJ Watling would return behind the stumps for the final appearance of his career. The real dilemma is centered on the fast bowling. Sentiment demands that the old guard - Southee, Trent Boult and Neil Wagner - get a chance to finish the job they started, but Henry's form is hard to ignore, as is Kyle Jamieson's point-of-view. The difference is lenience. Can they copy England's approach, and bench Patel in favor of an all-seam attack? Wagner's thirst for spinner-length spells, allied to Colin de Grandhomme's canny swingers, would undermine such an approach - even if England's recent experience warns against it.
New Zealand (possible): 1 Tom Latham, 2 Devon Conway, 3 Kane Williamson (c), 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Henry Nicholls, 6 BJ Watling (wk), 7 Colin de Grandhomme, 8 Tim Southee, 9 Ajaz Patel/Kyle Jamieson , 10 Neil Wagner, 11 Trent Boult.
The beauty of such a one-off Test is that both teams can, to a greater or lesser extent, allay any concerns about conditions and team balance, or the need to prioritize certain players at certain venues, and Just pick out the best XI they can muster. And to that end, India have chosen their twin spinners, Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin, to bring up their A game in the first, and in what time, to balance the batting in the second. Pepper looks to be a devastatingly complete team. There is a mix of fire and ice in the top six, where Rishabh Pant's last Test innings in England has no reason to doubt that he is set to kick off a successful start to his year. Had India felt they needed an extra batsman, Hanuma Vihari would have been a back-up option. Jasprit Bumrah is the nail-on option on the new ball with Kohli picking Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma as the other pace options as the BCCI announced the squad on the eve of the final. Shami was extremely unlucky on England's last tour in 2018 - more than his 16 wickets at 38.87 - but Ishant has averaged 23 in all conditions since 2015. The experience he has gained in a career spanning 14 years is probably believable. .
India 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli (c), 5 Ajinkya Rahane, 6 Rishabh Pant (wk), 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Ishant Sharma, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Jasprit Bumrah .
Pitch and conditions
Gadzook! There is clearly a morbid morbidity in long-range weather forecasting. The week began with the hottest day of the year in many parts of the UK, with the mercury reaching a sweaty 30 degrees, but it only included the final trim of heaven and all hell for Simon Lee's lovingly crafted pitch. Was suspicious to break loose. Admitting that the flood warnings have eased enough for Friday's play, Lee promises a surface with "pace, bounce and carry" that will please both teams' fast bowlers, and undoubtedly Will also give Ashwin & Co. a lot to work on. But if this weather persists, you can expect a fine mist of live grass, even an entire rainforest under cover.
Statistics and general knowledge
- India have lost both their previous Tests at Southampton - by 266 runs in 2014 and 60 runs in 2018.
- However, before beating South Africa and Afghanistan in the 2019 World Cup, India defeated Kenya by 98 runs in the 2004 Champions Trophy, winning their last three ICC tournament appearances.
- New Zealand have won both their previous matches in two ODIs at the Ageas Bowl against England in 2013 and 2015.
- Williamson needed 44 runs in Tests to surpass Stephen Fleming's total of 7172, and became New Zealand's second highest run-scorer of all time, behind Ross Taylor.
- Jadeja needed 46 runs to complete the 2000-run, 200-wicket double, a feat previously achieved in Test cricket by four Indians - Kapil Dev, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh and Ashwin.
- India has defeated New Zealand just once in the last five ICC events - in the 2003 World Cup in South Africa. They also lost in the final of New Zealand's only trophy-winning campaign, an ICC knockout in Nairobi in 2000.
Quotes
“Every team has its own challenges, and some people see our population as a slightly smaller population. But we look forward to the challenge that lies ahead, and are committed to the kind of cricket that is important to us. "
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson focusing on cricket rather than demographics ahead of WTC final
"It's not one-day cricket, it's not a T20 game that ends in a few hours. It's a tough brand of cricket that we're very proud of. And a great example of that was what you saw It was Australia."
Virat Kohli plays down any concerns that last year's World Cup semi-final loss will be a factor in India's mind.