With horses for the courses better-prepared New Zealand Cricket Team (Black Caps) deservedly won the first ICC World Test Championship Trophy trouncing fancied Team India by 8 wickets.
Going by the relative strength of the two teams, wickets, conditions and preparations of the two teams it was justice done when even nature favored the winning team. New Zealand has not won as many Global tournament as yet. This was in fact in fact their second and most importantly the first ever Test Championship .But Indians have won a few ODI and T20 championship . New Zealand was very keen for winning this after losing the 2019 ICC ODI World Cup Tied Final at Lords to England in bizarre fashion. India appeared a bit complacent. They hardly prepared for the match, while New Zealand played two tests against England in England leading to the match.
Black Caps had four paced pace attack suiting the overcast swinging conditions better than the Indians and they delivered. Southee and Boult alongside Anderson and Broad are the better proponents of English bowling conditions. After the rain-washed-out day one, the toss on cloud-covered day two also favored them. India definitely possessed better batting and almost equally good pace attack. But judging the wicket and condition the team management definitely faltered in not picking the right bowling combination. Indian batsmen lacked batting practice on alien condition and were severely tested by the top-quality Kiwi pace attack where tall strongly built Kane Williams was an ideal foil to original match winning combination of Southee, Boult and Wegner. India had option for peaking four pacers as well. Siraj could be an option going with Bumrah, Sami and Ishant.
The ultimate condition would even made Bhubaneswar the right choice. Siraj was there but Bhubi was not chosen for the squad. On English condition against quality pace attack Shuvman Gill was not ideal choice. More Experienced KL Rahul could be played. I also thought that Wriddhiman Saha should have been preferred over Rishabh Pant as wicket Keeper batsman. Black Caps tail wagged while Indian tail failed with the bat in both the innings. Four black cap pacers were relentless in attack while Bumrah flopped and India lacked a fourth seamer. Finally toss favored black caps. It was wrong choice of playing eleven, poor application and the difference of quality of leadership between Williamson and Kohli those combined into black caps trouncing India. Even Nature favored black caps bringing a sunny clear day six.
Winning the toss on cloud covered, cold day two and opting to bowl their high-quality pacers teased and tormented Indian batsmen. None played with ease after first 15 overs. The duke ball started swinging. Rarely the world cricket witness batsmen of the caliber of Pujara and Kohli struggling. A quality innings by Rahane saved India from humiliation. Even then 217 was way below competitive score. India failed to negotiate rookie Kyle Jamieson bowling at pace and extracting disconcerting bounce.
Sami and Ishant bowled exceedingly well and despite of another classy 54 from another emerging talent Conway pushed black caps to tight corner. But the three men pace attack tired while Williamson help fort and Jamison and Southee adding valuable runs alongside Kane earned vital 32 runs first innings lead.
The frailty of Indian batting got nakedly exposed again. This time it was master swing bowler Southee and his mate Boult doing the damage. Off course Jamieson with two excellent deliveries removed Kohli and Pujara. India could set a small target of 139 only for Kiwis. Champion batsmen Williamson and Taylor earned the victory in style adding 96 for the unbroken 3rd wicket partnership after Ashwin created some excitement removing Latham and Conway. Kiwis winning by 8 wickets proved that team that deserved won.
India can only blame them. On English wicket in the present condition India would struggle to prove competitive in as many test as they play. They are not at all in the right frame of mind. Kane Williamson has outsmarted Virat Kohli. The win of black caps is not a fluke at all.
BDST: 1500 HRS, JUN 26, 2021
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