WTC final: India and New Zealand players who are approaching milestones in the last two days
The stage is all set for the World Test Championship (WTC) final between New Zealand and India, as the weather seems to be promising for Day 5 and the reserve day.
The Kiwis have 101/2 on the board in the first innings with Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor at the crease. They are marginally ahead of India at this juncture and will look to gain a substantial lead looking for a win in this historic contest.
Indian fans and management will hope that the experienced trio of Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, and Jasprit Bumrah perform better today.
They will need to step up and pick up quick wickets in the morning session to trigger a collapse in their opponent's batting line-up. Ashwin will be looking to continue in the same vein as he was bowling on Sunday evening.
On that note, here are some of the players who could achieve individual milestones in this match.
Key New Zealand and Team India players who could set personal records in the upcoming days
Former New Zealand skipper Ross Taylor needs 88 more runs to complete 7000 runs while batting at the No. 4 position in Tests.
In 36 matches at the crucial spot, he has amassed 6912 runs at a decent average of 48.33, including 18 centuries and 31 fifties. Taylor is currently in the sixth position on the list, behind elite players Sachin Tendulkar, Mahela Jayawardene, Jacques Kallis, Brian Lara, and Javed Miandad.
Ross Taylor will usurp Miandad and reach the fifth spot if he scores more than 14 runs in this match.
Indian pacer Ishant Sharma needs to pick up six more wickets to complete 50 scalps in England. So far, in 13 Tests on English soil, Ishant has picked up 44 wickets at an average of 33.56, with 7/74 at Lord's in 2014 being his best figures.
If he succeeds, then England will be the second country after India, where he will have more than 50 Test wickets.
Ace off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is just one wicket short of completing 50 wickets against New Zealand in Tests. Across seven Tests since 2012, Ashwin has picked up 49 scalps so far, at an average of 17.04, with 7/59 being his best figures.
The Indian spinner has already breached the 50-wicket mark against Australia (89), South Africa (53), Sri Lanka (50), England (88), and West Indies (60).
Indian Test main-stay Cheteshwar Pujara will have to score 47 runs in the second innings to reach 4000 runs under the regime of Virat Kohli.
While playing under the current skipper, Pujara has accumulated 3953 runs at an average of 47.05, including 12 centuries and 20 fifties.