Southampton, June 13

Senior batsman Cheteshwar Pujara says New Zealand will have the advantage going into the World Test Championship (WTC) final after playing a Test series against England, though he said that India would utilise the available time to prepare well for the title clash, which starts here on June 18.

While the Indian squad is training by playing intra-squad matches after completing their quarantine period, New Zealand trumped England 1-0 in a two-match series in the run-up to the WTC final.

The Indian players played in the IPL before the T20 league was suspended due to an outbreak of coronavirus among the teams.

“They will obviously have advantage having played two Test matches before the final but when it comes to final we will give our best and we know that our team has the potential to do well and win the championship,” Pujara told BCCI’s website. “So we are not worried about that, we will try and focus on these 10 to 12 days which we have for preparation. We are also going to play a practice game and we will try and make the most of what we have. If we utilise these days well I feel that our team will be up for the final.”

The middle-order batsman from Saurashtra said more than anything, adjusting to the fickle England weather is a big challenge for the players. “Playing in different conditions in a single day here is the most challenging part for a batsman because if it rains you go off the field and then suddenly it stops raining and you start again,” he said. “So there are breaks in between and this is where you need to understand and accept the challenge. Mentally you have to be strong, your concentration needs to be up to the mark.” — PTI