WTC final: "Trent Boult, Tim Southee fine swing bowlers, but IPL stints have helped" - Danny Morrison

Former New Zealand fast bowler Danny Morrison has credited the Indian Premier League (IPL) for fine-tuning the skills of Kiwi cricketers. According to Morrison, playing in the IPL has given the New Zealand cricketers greater confidence to perform on the big stage.

Trent Boult, Kane Williamson, and Kyle Jamieson are some of the prominent names from the Black Caps camp who featured in this year’s IPL before the tournament had to be suspended.

All three are likely to feature in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against India, starting Friday in Southampton.

In an interview with Cricketnext, Morrison admitted that the IPL had had a huge role to play in New Zealand’s rise as a cricketing nation.

“I really do think that Indian cricket has helped. Give kudos to the IPL. It allows different players from other national teams to share dressing rooms impart and share knowledge. The overseas senior guys are helping young Indian players and the same is happening when the other way round. The advent of the IPL and some other franchises cricket which particularly the New Zealanders play a lot in overseas conditions has helped our cricket immensely.”

1⃣ day to go until the #WTC21 Final📍 The Hampshire Bowl, Southampton@bookingcom | #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/JXZWecTxTb

— ICC (@ICC) June 17, 2021

According to Morrison, the IPL has helped both experienced cricketers and youngsters from the country sharpen their skills.

“Trent Boult and Tim Southee are fine swing bowlers but IPL stints have also helped their cricket. Now, you have a big giant like Kyle Jamieson and look at the confidence he would have grown from playing at the RCB. Look at how Brendon McCullum who became more explosive and confident. That’s a big gain for New Zealand since they got the feeling that as a group we can compete and take on anyone and they do especially in home conditions.”

The former fast bowler further said that, for a change, New Zealand would not go into the WTC final as underdogs.

“Yes, I don’t count Kane Williamson’s team as underdogs. They are on equal footing and both sides have equal chance of winning this final because of the overall make- up of the teams. Also, the experiences of the both teams are quite similar in Test cricket.”

How Kiwi cricketers performed in IPL 2021

Kiwi skipper Williamson played four matches for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in IPL 2021. He scored 128 runs at a strike rate of 126.73.

After David Warner was sacked as SRH captain, Williamson took over the reins, but before he could make an impact, the event got suspended.

Boult again impressed for defending champions Mumbai Indians. He claimed eight wickets in seven matches at a strike rate of 19.75 and was lethal at the death with his yorkers.

The #WTC21 Final India squad with head coach @RaviShastriOfc 📸Which of these players do you think will feature in the playing XI? 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/GIIoj8adeR

— ICC (@ICC) June 17, 2021

Young Jamieson made his debut in the IPL this season, turning out for the Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore. He claimed nine scalps in seven games at a strike rate of 16 and also contributed 59 runs with the bat.