"If the spinners can have a real major say, India will have the advantage" - Scott Styris on the better bowling attack heading into WTC final

Scott Styris believes Australia have the better seam attack heading into the World Test Championship (WTC) final. However, he feels India will have the advantage if the pitch assists the spinners.

The Pat Cummins and Rohit Sharma-led sides will square off in the WTC final at The Oval in London from Wednesday, June 7. The unusual early summer Test match at the venue has raised uncertainties about the nature of the pitch that might be on offer.

While previewing the game on JioCinema, Styris was asked about the bowling attack more likely to pick up 20 wickets, to which he responded:

"I am a big fan of Australia's fast-bowling contingent. I think they are the best in the world at the moment. India is not too far behind, I will be honest, but then you always had better spinners than Australia."

The former New Zealand all-rounder added:

"I say that with all due respect to Nathan Lyon, who I think is just phenomenal in Australia in particular, that's my subjective view, less so in England. Depending on the surface, if the spinners can have a real major say, India will have the advantage."

Nathan Lyon, with 83 scalps in 19 Tests, is the highest wicket-taker in the current WTC cycle. Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja have accounted for 61 and 43 dismissals in 13 and 12 matches respectively in this period.

---

"The same heavy-lifting batters that India has had for the last few years" - Scott Styris on the key batters heading into WTC final

Virat Kohli (R) and Cheteshwar Pujara are the most experienced batters in the Indian lineup.

Scott Styris was further asked to pick the Indian batters who would have to do the heavy lifting in the WTC final, to which he replied:

"The same heavy-lifting batters that India has had for the last few years. I will look to Pujara. He has gained invaluable experience playing for Sussex and that would do wonders I think for him. Steve Smith has done the same for the same side, so that's a good little subplot I guess to the final.

"It's going to be the Kohlis, Pujaras and Rohits. It's going to be Steve Smith, Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja. Big games require your big players to stand up, that's why they are the big players, because they are used to doing this under the most pressure."

Styris concluded by predicting an Indian win, saying that they are going to make up for their loss to New Zealand in the first WTC final.