Southampton, June 11

A “well-planned and knit” New Zealand side with two Tests against England under their belt will come into the World Test Championship final with an advantage and the Indian team will have to adapt and be ready for the challenge, feels senior off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. “I expect a well-planned and knit New Zealand team to come at us. Having played two Tests definitely come with an advantage so we have to adapt to that,” Ashwin said.

The WTC final, starting here on June 18, will be a culmination of two years of hardwork, said senior pacers Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami.

For Ishant, the only man with 100 Tests under his belt in the current team, termed it as a great effort. “It’s been a practical as well as emotional journey, and this is an ICC tournament which is as big as 50-over WC final,” Ishant said. “Virat (Kohli) has said this is not our sweat and hard work of just one month but over a period of two years. ...we won a tough series in Australia. We came back against England as we had to win 3-1,” said India’s latest member in the 300-wicket club.

Shami said: “It’s about giving 110 per cent as this is last ditch effort of our two years of hard work. It’s important that we give it our all and double our effort.” — PTI