Team India has been in great form in the longer format of the game. They beat Australia last year and then England at home earlier this year. And, their batting unit comprising Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane and others have been performing quite well. However, former India wicketkeeper Vijay Dahiya said that with unlimited patience and amazing skill Pujara will play a key role in the much-awaited ICC World Test Championship final against New Zealand, beginning from June 18.
“If the conditions are testing, I think Cheteshwar Pujara will play a crucial role. If the conditions are challenging, you won’t see a 400-500 runs game but if it’s a 270-300 game, you would someone as tight as Pujara to hold one end and everybody comes and contributes,” Vijay Dahiya said in an exclusive interview with CricketCountry. “A lot of expectations will be there from Rohit as well, Virat Kohli had done really well in England in the last tour. Come the big game, you look at the big players.”
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Pujara has played so far played 85 Test matches where he has scored 6244 runs which came at an average of 46.59 which also included 18 centuries and 29 half-centuries as well. And, Vijay Dahiya expressed that Virat Kohli and co. has a lot on their plate and they can certainly give a tough fight to New Zealand as well.
“If I look at the Indian side, a lot of people have sympathy for New Zealand because you feel they don’t have big names or big stars in that sense in the past, they do have top-class stars now but not as glittering stars. India covers all the bases when it comes to the fast bowling department over the years, it is heartening to see how the fast bowling department is looking strong,” he further added.
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“The spin bowling department is also looking good, both the spinners (Ashwin and Jadeja) that we have in our side are also very handy with the bat, thus it gives you much more depth. If you do the man to man comparison, I would say India looks stronger, I won’t say they are favourites but they look stronger than New Zealand. Even if it will be seaming conditions, I will say it will be 60-40 in favour of India”, Vijay Dahiya concluded.
