The World Test Championship (WTC) final between India and New Zealand is set to finally begin on Saturday as the weather looks much better than it did on a washed-out Day 1.
Although there is a forecast for showers later in the day, the play is likely to start on time because of the sunny weather in the morning at the Ageas Bowl. This could ignite another interesting debate about what the team winning the toss must opt for.
Fans are absolutely thrilled to see the game finally set to begin after an agonizing Day 1. They are hopeful that the rain gods will show some mercy and there will be a full day's play possible. Here is how they reacted to the current weather in Southampton:
Both India and New Zealand have been dominant in their WTC campaigns. India lost just one Test series and that was against the Kiwis. A spirited performance Down Under was arguably the highest point on the road to the WTC final for India.
New Zealand played one series less than India did, but their home domination against the likes of Pakistan and West Indies showed how dangerous a team they were in such conditions. A 1-0 Test series win over England will surely have boosted their confidence ahead of the showdown against India.
India have already announced their playing XI and will be going in with three pacers and two quicks. But there has been persistent rain in Southampton over the past couple of days. Thus, it will be interesting to see whether skipper Virat Kohli reconsiders some tinkering to his XI before the toss.
Another crucial decision could be whether to bat or bowl first. The teams batting first have had a great record at Southampton, but the moisture on the pitch might tempt both captains to bowl first. It will be interesting to see how things pan out in this crucial 'ultimate Test'.
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