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"It is the bowlers who win you matches" is a statement by Virat Kohli that might define the result of the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC) Final, which is scheduled to be held from June 18-22 as per WTC final schedule.
The batsmen have always hogged the most limelight and have held a monopoly over the phrase 'match-winner'. But in the last few years, the paradigm has seen a tectonic change. Both India and New Zealand have reached the WTC summit clash on the backs of their match-winners, topping the WTC Points table and these were not batsmen alone.
For India, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja epitomize a mountain of experience. Meanwhile, Mohammed Siraj, Shardul Thakur and Washington Sundar bring with them a never-say-die zeitgeist.
For the Kiwis, Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner and Kyle Jamieson form one of the most redoubtable pace quartets in international cricket. Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Ajaz Patel and Matt Henry are the underrated cogs who can single-handedly win the game on their day.
WTC Final: 3 bowlers to watch out for
The first perusal of the small sample size of 6 Tests at The Rose Bowl in Southampton suggests that swing bowlers are more dominant than their spin counterparts. However, considering that England won't be the home side this time, the WTC final could tilt either way.
On that note, let's look at the 3 bowlers who can pick the most wickets in the game and etch their names in history forever.
#3 Ravichandran Ashwin
India have played 2 Tests at Southampton, with Ashwin and Jadeja featuring in one each. Ashwin has picked up 3 wickets at the venue while Jadeja has taken 5.
However, if conditions allow just one spinner in the lineup for Kohli, Ashwin will likely be the first choice. Ashwin has been India's lead spinner in the last two series against Australia and England in Jadeja's absence and his improved batting skills have also strengthened his case.
His wicket-taking ability is a secret to none. The off-spinner averages a staggering 16.98 for his 48 wickets against New Zealand. Tellingly, Ashwin has 6 five-wicket hauls against the Kiwis - the joint-most for him against any opponent.
His record in England is also substantial for a spinner - 14 snares from 6 games - and could give him the requisite confidence ahead of the WTC final. The last time India played in Southampton, Moeen Ali plundered a 9-wicket haul and Ashwin failed to match it. More than anyone, Ashwin would be raring to make up for it against Kane Williamson's team.
New Zealand have 2 left-handers in their top-6 and if Ashwin gets on the roll against them early in the game, India team for WTC final might enjoy the upper hand in the WTC Final throughout.
#2 Jasprit Bumrah
If India is to win the WTC Final, Bumrah has to come good at all costs. Bumrah has been in and out of India's Test side recently for various reasons. The tour to England will perhaps be the perfect long-run he needs to show his class.
Out of all the teams he has faced in his short career, Bumrah has the worst average (31.67) and strike rate (61.67) against New Zealand. His under-par performance against them in the 2020 away Test series came as a surprise to many but was brushed aside as a minor blip. One can expect the 27-year-old to come out with all guns blazing in the WTC final against the NZ team for WTC final.
Bumrah will certainly enjoy the seam movement on offer in Southampton and it will rekindle his memories of 4 wickets against England here in 2018. With adequate support from Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami, Kohli will have the choice to use his ace pacer in sporadic, aggressive spells.
His match-ups against Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor will be crucial to India's chances. Bumrah's ability to clean off the tail will come in handy against the likes of Tim Southee and Kyle Jamieson as well.
#1 Trent Boult
If there's one bowler who can singlehandedly win the WTC for New Zealand, it is Trent Boult. The speedster enjoys an average of 29.53 and 36 wickets against India. His left-arm angle, combined with the swing-loving Dukes ball, has the ability to expose Indian batsmen's biggest weaknesses.
Get all the latest updates on WTC final live score here.
Boult's numbers in England - 21 wickets including 2 fifers at 23.14 - are his second-best for all nations he has ever played in. Boult's partner Tim Southee has been a better performer in the 2-year-long WTC.
But Boult's acquaintance with England and his recent experience against most of India's Test mainstays in the IPL punts him ahead of his bowling partner.
Like Kohli, Williamson also has the luxury of rotating his fast-bowlers. And with Jamieson and Wagner as his wingmen, Boult can be given the free hand to attack the opposition with all he possesses. If the Rose Bowl pitch puts up a greenish-tinge on match day, expect Boult to be the biggest roadblock in India's WTC dream.
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