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India vs New Zealand Road To World Test Championship Final

India vs New Zealand World Test Championship Final

The ICC World Test Championship is finally here and we can’t wait to spill the beans for you. The competition being one of it’s kind the cricketing world has ever seen, the stakes are very high.

India vs New Zealand Test Championship Squad

WTC Final India Squad

Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Chesteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Hanuma Vihari, Umesh Yadav, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Wriddhiman Saha.

WTC Final NZ Squad

Kane Williamson (C), Tom Blundell, Trent Boult, Devon Conway, Colin de Grandhomme, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, Ajaz Patel, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner BJ Watling, Will Young.

Top Batsmen in the World Test Championship

India

Ajinkya Rahane: 1,095 runs (matches: 17 matches; highest score: 115, average: 47.25; hundreds: 3; fifties: 6)

New Zealand

Kane Williamson: 817 runs (matches: 9; highest score: 251; average: 58.35; hundreds: 3; fifties: 1)

Top Bowlers in the ICC World Test Championship 2021

India

Ravichandran Ashwin: 67 wickets (matches: 13; best bowling in an innings: 7/71; average: 20.88; five-wicket hauls: 4)

New Zealand

Tim Southee: 51 wickets (matches: 10; best bowling in an innings: 5/32; average: 20.66; five-wicket hauls: 3)

The Journey of India vs New Zealand World Test Championship Final

India being the country taking part in this grand event alongside New Zealand. The match to take place from June 18-22 and WTC final venue is at Hampshire Bowl in Southampton, England

India

India’s World Test Championship cycle involved three overseas tours (the West Indies, New Zealand and Australia) and three series at home against South Africa, Bangladesh and England. Interestingly, India’s only series loss came on its tour to New Zealand.

West Indies vs India – India won 2-0

India started their WTC campaign by beating the West Indies 2-0.

Ishant Sharma did a five wicket haul (5/43) that saw India take a 75-run first-innings lead in the series opener, and then took control from there all thanks to Ajinkya Rahane’s century (102). A target of 419 was always going to be too much to chase down for a team like West Indies and Jasprit Bumrah made sure they don’t get to do that by taking another five wicket haul (5/7)

Jasprit was once again at the heart of India’s victory in the second Test, taking 6/27 and claiming his first Test hat-trick. This feat and young gun Hanuma Vihari’s century (111) helped India to a 257-run second test win.

India vs South Africa – India won 3-0

In the first test, Mayank Agarwal scored a double hundred (215) and Rohit Sharma scored a ton (176) put on a 317-run opening stand to help India to a total of 502/7 declared. South Africa in return scored 431 in their first-innings, in spite of a seven-wicket haul from R Ashwin (7/145). It took a second-innings century from Rohit (127) and a five-for from Mohammed Shami (5/35) to secure victory.

In the second Test, it was Kohli’s turn to shine, making an unbeaten 254 as India posted a first-innings total of 601/5, with Agarwal (108) scoring another century. South Africa did not put up as stiff a fight this time, crumbling to an innings-and-137-run defeat.

Similar fate was dealt out to them in the final Test as a double-century from Rohit (212) and a century from Rahane (115) steered India to an innings-and-202-run victory.

India v Bangladesh – India won 2-0

India’s dominant run continued in late 2019 as they handed Bangladesh a 2-0 series defeat that also featured the first day-night Test ever played in India. In the series-opener, Agarwal (243) scored a double-century, and another fine all-round display from the attack ensured India only had to bat once.

India then got their first taste of day-night Test cricket and enjoyed themselves thoroughly. Ishant Sharma (5/22) took a five-for to help bowl Bangladesh out for 106 before a century from Kohli (136) put India in the driver’s seat. Four more wickets to Ishant (4/56) in the second innings and five from Umesh Yadav (5/53) wrapped up the win.

New Zealand vs India – India lost 0-2

Taking on the Kiwis in New Zealand, India were comprehensively defeated 2-0. Sent out to bat at Basin Reserve, Wellington, India were knocked over for 165 as Tim Southee and Kyle Jamieson took four wickets each. Five wickets from Ishant (5/68) kept New Zealand to 358. In the end, New Zealand only had to chase nine runs to win, with a five-wicket haul from Southee condemning India to their first defeat of the WTC.

There were signs of a bounce-back at Christchurch where India claimed a seven-run lead despite a five-wicket haul from Jamieson. Unfortunately for the Indians, they were unable to capitalise as they were bowled out for 124 in their second-innings and New Zealand went on to win by seven wickets.

Australia vs India – India won 2-1

India’s hopes of reaching the WTC Final were dealt a major blow at the start of the Border-Gavaskar series as Kohli’s team were bowled out for 36 at Adelaide Oval and sunk to an eight-wicket defeat.

At the MCG, they immediately put those concerns to bed in an eight-wicket victory, built on a century from stand-in captain Rahane (112). At the SCG, India scrapped their way to the most remarkable of draws. Set a target of 407 to win, India went into the innings with injury clouds hanging over both Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja.

But it was Pant who turned the tide of the match, scoring a scintillating 97 off 118 to make a chase of 407 look possible on day five. When he and Cheteshwar Pujara perished, India needed 135 runs to win.

What followed was some of the bravest batting you’ll ever see as Ashwin ignored a tweak in his back and Hanuma Vihari battled a torn hamstring. Ashwin and Vihari stood tall for close to 40 overs to force the draw.

Few expected India to claim the series even then. It had been decades since a team had won at the Gabba and the side that had pulled it off were the incomparable West Indies of 1988. But Pant led an extraordinary chase as India won the series 2-1.

India vs England – India won 3-1

India faced England at home needing to win at least two of the four Tests and the series. They got off to the worst possible start at Chennai, suffering a 227-run defeat.

They rebounded in the second Test, where a century from Rohit (161) followed by a five-wicket haul from Ashwin (5/43) saw India take a first-innings lead of 195. Ashwin (106) followed his five-for with a century in India’s second innings, before five wickets from debutant Axar Patel (5/60) wrapped up a 317-run win.

Axar (6/38, 5/32) picked up where he left off in the third Test, taking 11 wickets to seal another comfortable victory for India.

In the final Test, after India had bowled England out for 205 in the first innings, there were some nerves when India were reduced to 146/6 in their reply. However, Pant once again emerged to underline why he is one of the brightest youngsters in the game, scoring a well-paced century to pull India back. Washington Sundar’s 96 bolstered India’s lead to 160.

Ashwin and Axar then got to work on the England batsmen, bowling them out for 135 to secure an innings-and-25-run victory, and seal the series 3-1.

New Zealand

Kane Williamson’s men played five series in the World Test Championship and got off to a low start in their away tours to Sri Lanka and Australia. The Kiwis bounced at home with successive wins over India, the West Indies and Pakistan.

Sri Lanka vs New Zealand – Series drawn 1-1

New Zealand started their ICC World Test Championship journey with a tie in a Test series against Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka defeated visitors New Zealand in the first Test but the Kane Williamson-side bounced back with a superb victory in the 2nd Test. In the first Test, New Zealand were bowled out for 249 in the 1st innings and 285 in the 2nd innings. Sri Lanka scored 267 in the 1st innings and won the match by 6 wickets after chasing 268 runs target in 2nd innings.

In the 2nd Test, New Zealand bowled out Sri Lanka for 244. With centuries by Tom Lathan (154) and BJ Watling (105), New Zealand scored 431-6 in the 1st innings. Later, New Zealand bowled Sri Lanka for 122 and won the match by an innings and 65 runs. BJ Watling was awarded player of the series for scoring 183 runs in two games.

Australia vs New Zealand – New Zealand lost 0-3

Later, New Zealand faced a whitewash against Australia in away series. Home team Australia defeated New Zealand 3-0 in the three-match Test series. Australia smashed 416 and 217-9 in the first Test and restricted New Zealand to 166 and 171 to win the match by 296 runs.

In the 2nd Test, Australia scored 467 with a century by Travis Head (114). They bowled out New Zealand for 148 and scored 168-5 in the 2nd innings. Later, New Zealand were bowled out for 240 in the 2nd innings and Australia won by 247 runs. In the 3rd Test, Australia scored 454 in 1st innings and 217-2 in 2nd innings. Australia bowled out New Zealand for 256 and 136 in the match and bagged a win by 279 runs. As a result, Australia won the series 3-0 and sent New Zealand on backfoot in the tournament.

New Zealand vs India – New Zealand won 2-0

After facing whitewash against Australia, New Zealand bounced back in the ICC World Test Championship tournament with a home series win against India. New Zealand won the series 2-0. In the 1st Test, New Zealand bowled out India for 165 and 191 in both innings. They also smashed 348 runs in 1st innings which helped them to win the match by 10 wickets in the end. Tim Southee took 9 wickets in the match to win the player of the match award.

In the second Test, India scored 242 batting first. New Zealand remained 7 runs short and scored 235 in response. However, they bowled out India for just 124 in the 2nd innings. With just 132 needed for victory, New Zealand won the match by 7 wickets.

New Zealand v West Indies – New Zealand won 2-0

Later defeating India in the Test series, New Zealand defeated West Indies 2-0 in a home series. New Zealand outclassed West Indies in both matches. In the 1st Test, New Zealand smashed a massive 519-7 in 1st innings. West Indies were bowled out for 138 and 247 and New Zealand won the match by an innings and 134 runs.

The 2nd Test was also a one-sided affair. New Zealand scored 460-10 in 1st innings with a century by Henry Nicholls (174). West Indies were bowled out for 131 and 317 in both innings. New Zealand won the match by an innings and 12 runs Henry Nicholls was awarded player of the match. Kyle Jamieson was adjudged player of the series for 11 wickets in 2 matches.

New Zealand v Pakistan – New Zealand won 2-0

In their last Test series in ICC World Test Championship, New Zealand hosted Pakistan for 2 games. In the first Test, Kane Willamson hit a century (129) in the 1st innings and took New Zealand to 431. Pakistan were bowled out for just 239 in the 1st innings. Later, New Zealand declared their batting at 180-5 in the 2nd innings. Pakistan could reach only 271 while chasing a 373-run target and lost the match by 101 runs. Kane Williamson was awarded player of the match for his century.

In the 2nd Test, New Zealand increased their winning margin by an innings and 176 runs. Pakistan were bowled out for 297 in the 1st innings. In response, New Zealand smashed mammoth 659-6 with a double century by Kane Williamson (238) and centuries by Henry Nicholls (157) and Daryl Mitchell (102). Pakistan were bowled out for 186 in the 2nd innings and lost the match and the series. Kyle Jamieson was awarded player of the match for his 11 wickets while Kane Williamson was awarded player of the series for his magnificent batting.

It’ll now be interesting to see how India copes up with New Zealand in the final of World Test Championship. Did you like the article? Mail is your feedback.

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