WTC Final: India and New Zealand players who are approaching milestones
The two best Test teams in world cricket, New Zealand and India will go head-to-head in the final of the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC) today (June 18). The Ageas Bowl at Southampton will provide the backdrop for this crucial clash. India and New Zealand possess power-packed batting line-ups and lethal bowling attacks that can perform well in English conditions.
Both teams appear evenly matched, which makes it an extremely difficult task to predict the winner of this historic game. It will be a battle for supremacy between the premier Test batsmen of this era like Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Kane Willaimson, Ross Taylor, and their elite bowling counterparts in Bumrah, Ishant, Shami, Boult, Southee, and Wagner.
BCCI already announced India's playing XI on the eve of the match yesterday. Understandably, the team management preferred to stick with five bowling options, with Ravindra Jadeja being the main all-rounder in the side. He will share the spin bowling responsibilities with off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.
The experienced trio of Ishant, Shami, and Bumrah will form the pace attack for India in the WTC final. Mohammad Siraj was unlucky to be left out of the side after his inspiring performances Down Under.
Some of the players from India and New Zealand are could achieve individual milestones in this match.
Key New Zealand and Team India players who could set personal records in the WTC Final
Kane Williamson needs eight more runs to cross the 4000-run mark as the Test captain of his nation. In 36 matches as skipper, he has amassed 3092 runs at an astonishing average of 60.62, including 11 centuries and 13 fifties. Stephen Fleming, with 5156 runs, is the only New Zealand Test captain ahead of Williamson on the list.
India's most trusted slip fielder Ajinkya Rahane needs five more catches to reach 100 career catches in Tests.
Flamboyant Indian opener Rohit Sharma needs to score 45 more runs to reach the 1000-run mark in the away Tests. As of now, he has scored 945 in 20 matches at a dismal average of 27, including six fifties.
India's leading all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is just 46 runs short of reaching 2000 runs in Test cricket. In 51 matches, Jadeja has managed to accumulate 1954 runs at an average of 36.19, including 15 fifties and a solitary century. He could become the fifth Indian after Ashwin, Kumble, Harbhajan, and Kapil Dev to score 2000 runs and pick up 200 wickets in Test cricket.
Former New Zealand skipper Ross Taylor is 188 runs short of scoring 1000 runs against India in Tests. He has scored 812 runs in 14 matches at an average of 33.83, including three 100's and one fifty.