Putting aside all the doubts over the challenging conditions and quality of the opposition – former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar puts his money on Virat Kohli-led Team India in the eagerly-awaited ICC World Test Championship final against New Zealand, starting June 18 in Southampton. With a star-studded batting line-up and a potent bowling attack, India appears to be the better side than Kane Williamson and Co. in the battle for Test supremacy. India hold the numero uno spot in the ICC Test rankings, while New Zealand are at the second position.
The 65-year-old Vengsarkar, who along with Sunil Gavaskar and Gundappa Viswanath formed the backbone of India’s batting in the 70s and 80s and later became BCCI’s chairman of selectors, said that though the conditions at The Rose Bowl could suit New Zealand better but India still hold the advantage over their opponents.
“If you compare the New Zealand team to the Indian team, man to man, India looks the better team,” Vengsarkar told Khaleej Times.
“Of course, Trent Boult is a world-class bowler and Kane Williamson is a world-class batsman. But India is a more all-round team. We have got quality spinners (Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja), we have got quality fast bowlers (Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj) and quality batters as well.”
The former BCCI chief selector, Vengsarkar has urged Indian batsmen to support Kohli. The India captain was the lone warrior in the batting departing during India’s last tour of England in 2018, scoring 593 runs with two centuries and three fifties.
“There are talented players in the (Indian) team. Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, they are world-class cricketers. But it is also important for other players to chip in, you know, because you can’t depend only on two players. If you are playing Test match cricket, everybody has to contribute,” the former India batsman added.