WTC final: "It will be down to the batsmen" - Aakash Chopra picks the likely MVP from both sides
Aakash Chopra has picked a batsman each as the likely "Most Valuable Player" (MVP) from both sides in the World Test Championship (WTC) final. He reasoned the course of the match will be defined by the performance of the batsmen.
India will face New Zealand in the WTC final at the Aeges Bowl in Southampton from June 18. Both sides have a plethora of batsmen who can play a match-defining knock in the crunch encounter.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra opined that the batsmen will have to make a star turn when asked to choose an MVP for the WTC final.
"The bowlers of both teams are good, who will do well in English conditions, whether it is Boult, Wagner, Southee or Jamieson for New Zealand or Bumrah, Shami and Ishant for India. India has two good spinners as well. I feel the bowling will just cancel each other out, it will be down to the batsmen."
The former India cricketer picked Kane Williamson as the likely MVP from the Kiwi side.
"If you look towards New Zealand, then you hundred percent look towards Kane Williamson, that he will do well in these conditions although he did not do well in the first Test against England. His numbers in England are not very good and will be coming back from an elbow injury. So the pressure will be on him but there will be a lot of dependency on him as well," observed Aakash Chopra.
Williamson has scored 261 runs at an underwhelming average of 26.10 in the five Tests he has played on English soil.
Aakash Chopra on India's likely MVP
Aakash Chopra named Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant as the three options he is considering as India's MVP.
"If I look towards India, I want to choose one between Rohit and Kohli. Actually, three names come to my mind - Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant. I am actually very split."
The 43-year-old cast his vote for Kohli just ahead of Sharma and Pant.
"Kohli hasn't scored a ton for a while now, I am going with Kohli with Rishabh and Rohit after him. It is going to be very interesting," signed off Aakash Chopra.
Virat Kohli last scored a Test century in the pink-ball encounter against Bangladesh in 2019.
The Indian skipper will hope to play a substantial knock in the WTC final to help the team win a maiden ICC trophy under his leadership.