The inaugural ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final between India and New Zealand is scheduled less than a month away, and the speculations for the winner have already started. Earlier, former England captain Michael Vaughan predicted the Black Caps would finish as winners in the summit clash.
This time around, ex-English cricketer Monty Panesar has shared his prediction on the WTC finale.
New Zealand is lined up to play a two-match Test series against England before the WTC final. Panesar believes that the result of the Test Championship would depend on the series against the British.
“If New Zealand do well in the next two Test matches, then the momentum is going to favour them against India. But if England can beat them, suddenly they’re going to be low on confidence and it is a good time for India to come,” Panesar in an interview with PTI.
The former spinner opines that England has chosen a ‘B’ team for the forthcoming series and left several seniors players out of the squad. Panesar further states that India had faced many more challenges than Kane Williamson-led side in the WTC and can win from any situation.
“James Anderson and Stuart Broad are usually very effective at this time of the year but England have picked a B team (for NZ series) in the absence of some key players, so we will see. If you said the WTC final is in a week’s time, I would pick India as they have played much more hard cricket. The team probably believes that it can win from any situation, while New Zealand have played good cricket, but they haven’t really had the hard victories like India. What really makes a top team is when you win from really difficult, tough situations,” the 39-year-old asserted.
Meanwhile, the Indian squad will soon be taking off to the United Kingdom and would serve 10-day isolation before resuming with the practice sessions.
