“I don't think India owe New Zealand anything” - Sunil Gavaskar on Rohit Sharma and Co. reaching WTC final
Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar reckons that India don't owe New Zealand anything with regard to their qualification for the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023 final. According to the Indian legend, India have reached the summit clash because they have played some outstanding cricket over the last two years.
India booked their spot in the WTC final against Australia on Monday, March 13. Their place was confirmed after New Zealand beat Sri Lanka by two wickets in a pulsating Test match in Christchurch courtesy of a superb Kane Williamson hundred. The Lankans needed to win both Tests of the two-match series to qualify for the World Test Championship final.
Reacting to India’s qualification, Gavaskar told India Today:
"I don't think India owe New Zealand anything. India have played outstanding cricket over the years to qualify, to be the No.2 team, whatever you might say.
"New Zealand won, fine, it's good for New Zealand cricket, but, Gavaskar added, “I don't think Indian cricket owes New Zealand cricket any thank you or anything of that sort. Because India have played quite outstanding cricket over the last two years since the 2021 World Test Championship final and therefore, they deserve to be in the finals on their own and not with anybody's help.”
𝙒.𝙄.𝙉.𝙉.𝙀.𝙍.𝙎 🏆
#TeamIndia | #INDvAUS https://t.co/NlMgb1kVMT
The fourth India-Australia Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad ended in a draw on a benign surface on Monday. The hosts clinched the series 2-1, having won the first two Tests of the series in Nagpur and Delhi.
“It never seemed that he was out of form” - Gavaskar on Kohli’s 186
One of the biggest positives for India from the Ahmedabad draw was Virat Kohli breaking his century drought in Test cricket. The 34-year-old notched up 186, scoring his first Test ton since November 2019.
Reflecting on his knock, Gavaskar told Star Sports during a discussion:
"Every great batter thinks about a hundred. A century is the minimum price he keeps for his wicket. The way Kohli was batting in the last two-and-a-half years when he didn't score a century, he was batting well, scored seven or eight fifties."
"So it never seemed that he was out of form. Gavaskar continued, “The only thing that was happening was that he was getting out on his first mistake."
The 73-year-old added that Kohli’s innings was a good example of how a Test match century should be constructed. He elaborated:
“He started slightly slowly, where he was trying to figure out the pitch and the bowling. Then he played a few shots after getting set and tried to play even more shots after he had scored a century."
had some memorabilia to give to his Australian teammates post the final Test 
🏼King Kohli 👑 had some memorabilia to give to his Australian teammates post the final Test 👏🏼👏🏼
Gestures like these 🫶🏼
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Kohli hit 15 fours in his 364-ball knock before becoming the last batter to be dismissed in India’s first innings in Ahmedabad.