WTC Final: How the current Indian batting line-up has fared in Tests at Southampton 

The top two teams in the current ICC Test rankings, New Zealand and India, will square off in an epic battle for the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC) on Friday. The Ageas Bowl in Southampton will provide the backdrop for this high-profile contest.

The Kiwis come into this contest in high spirits after their just-concluded 1-0 series victory over England. It was their first Test series win on English soil in 21 long years and also gave them a chance to acclimatize. India, on the other hand, have not played a Test match since February. They will go into this all-important game with no international match practice in four months.

India have played two Test matches (2014 & 2018) at Southampton and lost on both occasions, while the venue is new territory for New Zealand.

Regardless, there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic in the Indian camp. Its young Indian batsmen like Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, and Washington Sundar have exhibited exceptional character and grit while dealing with pressure situations during their legendary 2020/21 Test series win Down Under. This Indian squad now seem to possess quality and depth and are no longer excessively top-heavy. The team management and fans will expect the Indian batters to rise to the occasion during the pinnacle clash of the World Test Championship, even though some of their past records at the Ageas Bowl aren't too appealing.

Washington Sundar in action during the 4th Test of the 2020/21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy

Record of current Indian batsmen who have played at the Ageas Bowl

Rohit Sharma: Matches - 1 | Runs - 34 | HS - 28 | Average - 17.00 | 50's - 0

Cheteshwar Pujara: Matches - 2 | Runs - 163 | HS - 132* | Average - 54.33 | 100's - 1

Virat Kohli: Matches - 2 | Runs - 171 | HS - 58 | Average - 42.75 | 50's - 1

Ajinkya Rahane: Matches - 2 | Runs - 168 | HS - 54 | Average - 56.00 | 50's - 3

Rishabh Pant : Matches - 1 | Runs - 18 | HS - 18 | Average - 9.00 | 50's - 0

KL Rahul : Matches - 1 | Runs - 19 | HS - 19 | Average - 9.50 | 50's - 0

Ravindra Jadeja : Matches - 1 | Runs - 46 | HS - 31 | Average - 23.00 | 50's - 0

Ravichandran Ashwin : Matches - 1 | Runs - 26 | HS - 25 | Average - 13.00 | 50's - 0

(Note: Shubman Gill, Sundar, Hanuma Vihari, Mayank Agarwal, Wriddhiman Saha, and Axar Patel are yet to play a Test match at the Ageas Bowl.)

The linchpins of the Indian Test team batting line-up, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, have a good track record at the Ageas Bowl. Cricket enthusiasts will hope for substantial contributions from both stalwarts in the WTC final against a fantastic Kiwi bowling attack.

Indian skipper Virat Kohli (centre) during India's Test against England at the Ageas Bowl in 2018

During India's last Test at Southampton in 2018 against England, Pujara scored a fighting century and remained unbeaten on 132* in the first innings. Skipper Virat Kohli (46 & 58) and Rahane (11 & 51) also had decent outings with the bat, but Moeen Ali's nine-wicket match haul ensured an English victory.

The Indian team are a more settled unit coming into the WTC final than the one that lost at Southampton in 2018. The consistent Kiwis, however, will pose several questions for this talented Indian side. We are in for a riveting finale to the inaugural World Test Championship. An Indian victory will make them the only team to win major ICC tournaments in all three formats. Alternately, Kane Williamson's side will look to win their first ever ICC honors across formats in the same country where they lost the 2019 ODI World Cup final by an inexplicable boundary count rule.