WTC Final: Harbhajan Singh backs Team India to make a strong comeback in the marquee clash
Veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has backed Team India to make a strong comeback on Day 4 of the World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand at the Hampshire Bowl in Southampton.
The Black Caps were 101/2 when bad light stopped the third day's play in reply to India's paltry score of 217 runs in the first innings.
Harbhajan admitted that India had a rough outing on Sunday but is confident that they will make a swift comeback in the WTC final.
The cricketer wrote on Twitter:
"Team India had a bad day yesterday on the field.good thing is it’s past now..backing Team India to be at their best today to win all 3 sessions.. it is POSSIBLE.. do it boys @BCCI game on."
India in trouble after Kiwi openers make a gritty start
After Kyle Jamieson ran riot on a seam-friendly wicket in Southampton with a five-wicket haul, it was the batters' duty to give New Zealand a good start.
Tom Latham and Devon Conway ground it out on an absorbing day to deny India's new-ball bowlers any chance of picking up a wicket.
The duo put on 70 before Ravichandran Ashwin got Latham caught at short cover. But Conway continued his brilliant run in international cricket, scoring another half-century before Ishant Sharma induced him to play a rash shot that found Mohammed Shami in the mid-on region.
With momentum on their side and two new batters in the middle, India had an opportunity to be heavy on the Black Caps but bad light compelled the umpires to call it a day.
India opener Shubman Gill also blamed weather conditions for not getting an opportunity to have a go at the unsettled Ross Taylor.
Gill said during the virtual media conference:
“Conway was a crucial wicket for us and I feel that if we would have been able to bowl a few overs to Ross Taylor, we might have been able to get couple of more wickets.”