India and New Zealand are the two finalists of the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle that started with Ashes 2019.
The two teams have defeated several sides in the process to reach the summit clash of the tournament.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has shared a video with extraordinary cricketers from both the participants stating why they love red-ball cricket. Cricket experts also opined that the longest format of the game is as pure as it can get.
New Zealand all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme revealed that he loves toiling hard for four to five days in a red ball encounter.
Kiwi pacer Trent Boult stated that the most exciting part of the game was when it went down to the last session with three results – win, loss and draw – as the possible outcomes. Boult also enunciated that he usually wants to be under pressure so that he could put his skills to the test.
Black Caps wicket keeper-batsman BJ Watling pointed out that he likes trying to get a result in his team’s favour from tricky situations during the period of a game.
Tim Southee expounded that he has an affection for the apprehensions and excitement that happen before the start of a Test match.
Indian veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, on the other hand, divulged that he had a fondness for the discipline and resilience that come with a five-day encounter. Paceman Jasprit Bumrah adumbrated that the longest format is true to its name and tests every characteristic of a player like patience, hard work and stamina to name a few.
Veteran pacer Ishant Sharma remarked that he looks forward to being challenged both mentally and physically.
Indian number three batter Cheteshwar Pujara shared that he had an affinity for the rollercoaster ride that comes with playing a Test game. A team has to face different situations every day during the course of the game.
Here is the video:
"It's a lot of hard work, it tests everything."
The #WTC21 finalists reveal what their favourite thing about Test cricket is👇 pic.twitter.com/ShYyO4ipv2
— ICC (@ICC) June 21, 2021