The World Test Championship (WTC) came to the end of its two-year cycle on Wednesday. The No.1 ranked Test team New Zealand, beat India by eight wickets to become the undisputed kings of the longest format. Their win came on the back of a wonderful bowling performance by the Kiwi pacers.
Although two days of the final was washed out due to incessant showers and poor light conditions at the Ageas Bowl, the fans were able to witness a battle that was worthy of a final. The top 2 teams in the world traded blows after blows before the knockout punch was laid by New Zealand’s most experienced batsmen Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson.
It was a tough day out in the field for the batsmen, who had to work hard for every single run. The bowlers on the other hand enjoyed the favorable conditions on offer and made life difficult for the willow-wielders. On that note, let’s take a look at the best-combined playing XI of the WTC Final:
1) Rohit Sharma
Although India had a poor outing with the bat in both the innings, Rohit Sharma managed to play out the new ball and get a start in the tough batting conditions. Unfortunately for him, he couldn’t make it big after getting his eyes in, something he has been guilty of recently in foreign conditions.
He was India’s best batsman if both innings are considered, scoring 34 and 30 in the first and second innings respectively. Nevertheless, Rohit will be banked on by the team to provide similar starts against England, albeit take it one step further this time by making a bigger contribution.
2) Devon Conway
The Kiwi opener has started off his international Test career in sublime fashion. Having scored a fantastic double century on debut against England at Lord’s, Conway kept his impeccable form going with another half-century in the first innings.
He got out playing a clumsy flick shot but had provided New Zealand the kind of start they needed with a hard-fought 54. Conway failed to make an impact in the next innings, however, as he was dismissed by a floater from Ashwin on 19. Alongside Latham at the top, he’s set to continue New Zealand’s world domination in Test cricket.
3) Kane Williamson (c)
Skipper Kane Williamson led the Black Caps to their first ICC trophy in 18 years. He was instrumental in their batting order, playing the role of an anchor in the first innings when wickets kept falling around him. At one stage it looked like the Kiwis would concede a first-innings lead but Williamson, who scored 49, aided by the lower order guided the Black Caps to a 32-run lead.
He came back in the second innings to play another wonderful innings, albeit in a much better situation for New Zealand. Chasing a target of 139, the Kiwis were 44/2 but they were taken home by another Williamson special – this time a lot more aggressive 52* that landed his team the ICC Test mace.
4) Virat Kohli
The Indian talismanic captain played an important role in the first innings, scraping through a fiery Kiwi attack on Day 2. However, an interruption towards the end of Day 2 put a stop to the momentum he had gathered, eventually getting knocked over by Jamieson for 44 at the start of first session of Day 3.
Indian fans were hoping for an improved show from Kohli in the second innings, but were disappointed when he was dismissed by Jamieson again chasing a delivery outside off-stump. He was on 13 at the time, and his wicket virtually crushed India’s hopes of a win.
5) Ajinkya Rahane
Rahane had a similar fate to Kohli, getting off to a start before losing his wicket. He was India’s top scorer in the first innings with a valiant 49, but lost his wicket away to a well-thought-out but poorly executed stroke. Neil Wagner was the bowler to dismiss him, and he deserves a lot of credit for setting the trap that Rahane fell into.
The Mumbaikar was in a worse situation the next time around, with India completely on the back foot following Kohli and Pujara’s dismissals. Ajinkya Rahane started building a partnership with Pant but was unluckily out for 15, trying to nudge an innocuous ball down the leg-side.
6) Rishabh Pant
The maverick keeper-batsman had a decent outing in the WTC Final. In the first innings, he was dismissed for 4 trying to chase a wide going-away delivery from Jamieson. Prior to that, however, he had shown great patience and had managed to curb his natural instincts before they took over.
He came out in the second innings with a similar approach but survived a bit longer due to a dropped catch by Tim Southee in the slips. If he could have stayed at the crease for the entire second session, India would have been able to salvage a draw. Unfortunately, he was dismissed trying to go for a wild slog while on 41, which was the final nail in the coffin for India.
7) Kyle Jamieson
Jamieson won the Player of the Match award for his brilliant performance all-around. Its safe to say that he was the difference-maker in the end between both sides. In the first innings, he picked up his fifth 5-wicket haul, before making a vital 21 run contribution with the bat that helped the Kiwis take the lead.
The 6′ 8″ pacer wasn’t done yet. He was hungry for more. Jamieson came back in the second innings to cause more trouble for the Indian batsmen, claiming the crucial wickets of Kohli and Pujara which set the things in motion for the Kiwis to lay their hands on the Test mace.
8) Tim Southee
The experienced bowler had an off-day with the ball in the first innings. He was unable to claim a wicket till the end when he dismissed Ravichandran Ashwin who was threatening to score big. However, being the champion he was, Southee turned things around in the second half.
He was imperious with the ball, knocking over Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma early with his now-famous ‘three-quarter seam ball’. Southee came back to clean up the tail, setting up a rare fly slip for Shami to get caught out to. He then got Bumrah to edge one to Latham at first slip, ending with figures of 4/48 in the second.
9) Ravichandran Ashwin
The mercurial off-spinner provided his services when required, claiming the wicket of Latham to provide the breakthrough for India in the first innings. Since the conditions were conducive to the pacers, Ashwin wasn’t relied upon much, coming back only to dismiss Neil Wagner as he finished with 2/28 in 15 overs.
He also scored 22 runs at a quick rate in the first innings. The second innings with the ball was a different story. Ashwin looked like India’s most threatening bowler, picking up the only two wickets that fell. Since the target was on the lower side, the pair of Williamson and Taylor played him out safely before taking on the other bowlers.
10) Mohammad Shami
The Meerut-born pacer was India’s best bowler throughout the game. He looked like he was going to take a wicket with every single delivery. Shami was able to induce a lot of edges that fell safe, but was finally rewarded for his consistency, picking up four wickets in the first innings.
His place in the side was being questioned because of Siraj’s recent form, but Shami justified his place in the side for the WTC Final and probably for the England series with the show he put on at the Ageas Bowl. The second innings saw Shami doing a similar thing, albeit unsuccessful this time around.
11) Trent Boult
Boult wasn’t at his usual best in the final. Although he was able to generate enough swing to trouble the Indian batsmen, his consistency was lacking. But the crisp deliveries he bowled here and there earned him a couple of wickets in the first innings.
He started off well in the second innings, however, putting pressure on the batsmen from one end while Southee reaped the rewards at the other. Eventually, Boult was able to make the inroads necessary, which included the crucial wicket of Pant who was looking to unleash at that stage. He ended up with figures of 3/39 in the second innings.