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The culmination of close to two years of enthralling Test cricket will occur in Southampton come Friday, as New Zealand goes up against India in the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) at the Rose Bowl.
The Test Championship provided teams with an added impetus to win every game and virtually removed the concept of a dead rubber. We've seen some thrilling Test matches, including the Ashes 2019 and the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2020-21.
After all of that, India and New Zealand finished first and second respectively on the points table and will take on each other in a one-off Test match in the WTC final.
New Zealand arrived in England earlier than the Indian side and took part in a two-match Test series against England, which they won 1-0. In the process, New Zealand also became the No. 1 ranked ICC Test Team, showing that they're a force to be reckoned with.
They've worked hard to throw away the tag of underdogs and have emerged as strong contenders to win titles in all formats of the game. Their Test cricket setup is one of the most balanced, with plenty of stars emerging during the WTC.
Kyle Jamieson and Henry Nicholls have cemented their place in the team with consistent outings. The usual suspects in Kane Williamson, Tom Latham, and the pace battery have also raised their game to make the Black Caps the No. 1 Test side in the world.
Devon Conway scored a double hundred on his Test debut at Lord's and followed it up with a half-century at Edgbaston. Despite making six changes to a full-strength side, New Zealand comfortably beat the English side, with Matt Henry and Will Young delivering the goods.
It highlighted the quality and depth in their reserves, something they have in common with their opponents, India.
While the highlight of India's WTC campaign was their 2-1 win Down Under, they also showed a clinical edge, especially in home series wins over South Africa, Bangladesh, and England.
Their bench strength was on show on numerous occasions, with their solid domestic cricket structure slowly starting to pay dividends.
Their bowling attack and lower-order batting were the most improved part of their team, with plenty of talented players staking their claim for those all-important spots in the playing XI.
Rishabh Pant rewarded the management's faith in him with some outstanding performances in the face of adversity both Down Under and against England.
Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Mohammed Siraj, and Shardul Thakur have also made plenty of match-winning contributions and are giving Test regulars a run for their money.
The biggest takeaway from the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2020-21 was that India no longer seemed reliant on Virat Kohli. The Indian skipper has endured a bit of a lean patch in Test cricket by his standards, but that has, by no means, affected this Indian side.
While he'll no doubt look to deliver his best in this game, he should be able to bat with the confidence that his teammates will get the work done even if he isn't able to.
Both teams announced their 15-member squads on Tuesday. Mitchell Santner was the notable omission from the Black Caps' squad, with Matt Henry and Will Young's impressive performances in the second Test earning them a spot in the side.
Meanwhile, Mayank Agarwal was a notable omission from India's 15-member squad, all but confirming that Shubman Gill would open the batting for them.
A lot has changed since the last time these sides met each other, early in 2020. While New Zealand will fancy their chances in pace-friendly conditions, especially after beating England 1-0, they wouldn't dream of underestimating this Indian team.
Considering the high quality of cricket they've played throughout their respective WTC campaigns, one can only expect a similar level of quality in what should be a great exhibition of Test cricket.
Match details
Date: June 18-22, 2021 (Friday-Tuesday).
Time: 11:00 AM (Local/ BST), 03:30 PM (IST), 10:00 PM (NZ), and 10:00 AM (GMT).
Venue: The Rose Bowl, Southampton.
Weather Report
In what is bad news for fans, rain is likely to wreak havoc in this match, with showers expected on four of the five days of the Test match.
Despite there being a reserve day in place, the chances of rain ruining that day's play are pretty high. An average temperature of around 18 degrees Celsius should prevail.
Pitch Report
An even surface can be expected at the Rose Bowl for the WTC final. The track should have good bounce and carry, and coupled with the swing set to be on offer, pacers from both sides will be licking their lips.
Spinners could come into the game on Day 4 and Day 5. While the wicket should be good to bat on, the weather conditions could make things difficult for the batters.
Predicted XIs
New Zealand
The in-form Devon Conway should make it to New Zealand's playing XI and open the batting with vice-captain Tom Latham. Skipper Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, and Henry Nicholls should take their usual places in the top order.
Wicketkeeper-batsman BJ Watling will look to bow out in style in the 75th and final Test match of his international career.
While there is a case to be made for including Ajaz Patel in the playing XI, New Zealand is likely to play it safe and add more batting depth by going with Colin de Grandhomme.
Despite Matt Henry's brilliant performance, Kyle Jamieson, Tim Southee, Trent Boult, and Neil Wagner should form New Zealand's pace battery for this match.
New Zealand: Devon Conway, Tom Latham, Kane Williamson(C), Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, BJ Watling(WK), Kyle Jamieson, Colin De Grandhomme/ Ajaz Patel, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, and Trent Boult.
India
Mayank Agarwal's exclusion from the squad has virtually confirmed Shubman Gill's place at the top of the order with Rohit Sharma. Cheteshwar Pujara, captain Virat Kohli, and deputy Ajinkya Rahane should slot in at their usual positions.
Rishabh Pant will be the X-Factor for India, with his counter-attacking game crucial for India to take the attack to New Zealand in the middle periods of the game.
It's going to be a tough call deciding between Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja for the No. 7 spot, with there being a case to play both of them. Throw in Hanuma Vihari's name in the hat, and India has a happy selection headache ahead of the match.
Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and Ishant Sharma should comprise India's pace battery for this match. They could also opt to play Mohammed Siraj as an extra seamer.
India: Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(C), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant(WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin/Mohammed Siraj, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, and Jasprit Bumrah.
Match prediction
It's never easy predicting the result of a tournament final, especially with two of the best teams in the world facing off against each other.
With New Zealand getting more time to acclimatize to the seam-friendly English conditions, they would've held a slight edge over India in a full five-day Test match.
However, with the weather forecast predicting some washed-out sessions, this match is likely to be forced into a draw, with both teams sharing the WTC Trophy.
Prediction: WTC Final to be drawn.
TV and live streaming details
TV: Star Sports network
Live Streaming: Disney+ VIP
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