It is a one-off match to decide the Test champion of the world. A culmination of a two-year-long journey for both India and New Zealand. And it ends at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton, starting June 18. The ICC World Test Championship (WTC) started in August 2019, ten years after the ICC approved the idea. It featured 71 Test matches in 27 bilateral series.
The WTC points table—with Virat Kohli-led India right at the top with 520 points—may not tell the full story. India has played in six series as part of the WTC, notching 12 wins, four losses and one draw. Kane Williamson’s New Zealand is second with 420 points, having played five series, winning seven Tests and losing four. Percentage points were calculated taking into consideration how Covid-19 affected tours and schedules of all the nine nations involved. These points show more parity, though this updated system was not to Kohli’s liking. India, with 72.2 per cent, is closely followed by New Zealand with 70 per cent.
The actual difference between the two teams is even less. Both sides are well balanced, led by world-class captains, have bowling attacks that the likes of Australia and England are wary of, and have batting lineups that do not give up. Both sides boast of long servants (like Cheteshwar Pujara or Ross Taylor) and exciting players (like Rishabh Pant and Devon Conway). The bowling units of both teams are comparable, especially the pacers with their right mix of pace, variety and experience. India though may just about have the edge in the spin department. And finally, there is no better stage for Kohli and Williamson to face off, their batting and captaincy contrasting in nature. Both are eager to get their hands on an ICC trophy, something that has eluded them thus far.
Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar cannot hold back his excitement when discussing the WTC final with THE WEEK. He finds very little to separate both teams. The batting legend brushes aside any disadvantage for India over the lack of preparation ahead of the final. He also feels that in the final, it will be all about collective effort—like it was for India against Australia in January. Excerpts from the interview:
Q/ Do you wish the WTC had been there during your time as a player?
A/ It is a different concept. It would have been nice if it had been there. It gives a different perspective; something to look forward to.
Q/ Do you think deciding the world Test champion with a one-off Test is fair after teams played it out over two years to reach this stage?
A/ I feel it is not correct that teams played multiple Tests in the last two years to get to the most important match, where there is only one chance. For example, India played a four-Test series against Australia and England, for which it got points in the WTC, and then you play one final. Ideally, continuity should be there. The ICC has to figure out how to accommodate a three-Test series to decide the winner of the final. Due to time constraints, the ICC should decide it in advance.
If you have a four-Test series being played as a bilateral series, then the result of the fourth Test should be counted for the WTC final match, and not the other three Tests, to maintain uniformity. So, all teams play one Test for the WTC and then [the two teams with] most points graduate to the final. If you are playing a three-Test [final], then it should be a best of three—any side which wins the first two Tests is the champion, then you do not need to play the third Test. There has to be some uniformity.
Q/ How would you describe India’s rise to the top of the Test rankings and its journey to the WTC final?
A/ I think it has been a fantastic journey. For the series win against Australia, some key players were missing, yet the way the team performed in the last Test match was unbelievable. I think that win will be remembered for years. For me, that is what matters.
Q/ Do you think the pace attack of both New Zealand and India will be the x-factors in this final?
A/ In the New Zealand team, Kyle Jamieson is tall and hits the deck hard. It is the same case with Ishant Sharma. [Jasprit] Bumrah is a completely awkward bowler; I don’t think anyone bowls like him! Tim Southee and Mohammed Shami both swing the ball. Trent Boult creates different angles altogether, going over the wicket. So yes, both teams have good variety in their fast-bowling attack. It is not going to be a monotonous match for sure. You have attacking, well-balanced bowlers in both teams.
Q/ Is winning the WTC akin to winning the WC as some Test specialists have said?
A/ It is a good feeling to be world number one, so it will be a big achievement for whoever lifts the trophy. Given the challenges we have faced, it will be a fantastic achievement if we do it.
Q/ How should youngsters like Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant approach the WTC final?
A/ It is not about an individual. If you noticed in Australia, Virat was not there after the first Test, and a few others had injuries. Eventually, you need the whole team to perform; to put their hands up when needed. It was the same case with NZ in their second Test match against England. The [Indian] team is a combination of youngsters, a few who have been around for eight to ten years and a few with almost 15 years of experience. That combination works really well.
The ideal balance for a team to perform is the experience of senior cricketers and the enthusiastic energy of youngsters. Players like Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill have recently started their journey and look raring to go out there and perform. In bowling, too, [Mohammed] Siraj appears keen to perform and support bowlers like Ishant, who has been around for a long time. Bumrah has done very well since his debut in 2017 and Shami has been around for some time. Siraj is the youngest member in the pace department in terms of experience, and he is bubbling with energy.
Q/ How important will this WTC final be in the evolution of youngsters like Gill and Pant?
It is a great opportunity to go on a tour like this. In my playing days, if you scored runs against good sides, you got noticed. Everyone will be following the WTC final. It will create an impression if you go out there and make a statement. This is a platform for the world to take notice of you.
Q/ Southampton is usually spin-friendly. Both teams have very fine spinners in Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Ajaz Patel. Will spin play a big role?
A/ I know the curator has said that he is aiming to have a pitch with pace, bounce and carry. From a batsman’s point of view, the good-length spot becomes smaller and the margin of error is smaller for pace bowlers. If the conditions allow the ball to swing and seam, then the batsmen have to play differently. If there is pace and bounce, I see that as an opportunity to score runs. Southampton traditionally has helped spinners. It will be interesting to see whether India goes ahead with an extra batsman, or have two spin all-rounders, four seamers and one spin option. These are the choices they need to make. A number of elements come into play—the weather forecast for the match, for instance.
Q/ How would you describe Ravi Shastri’s tenure as coach?
A/ Ravi has played a big role in getting the team to believe that they can go out and perform no matter what the situation. Like in Australia, there was injury after injury to key players, yet the youngsters kept performing. Each session saw someone raise their hand. That makes a huge difference—the atmosphere in the dressing room, everyone playing together as a team… a coach plays a big role in that.