Renowned South African cricketer AB de Villiers has expressed that it is challenging to pick a favorite for the World Test Championship (WTC) final. However, he believes that India will come out on top against Australia on the fifth day of the match. The title-deciding clash is set to commence on Wednesday, June 7 at The Oval in London, with Rohit Sharma and Pat Cummins leading the respective teams.
While it will be Australia’s first appearance in the final, India, who finished second in the inaugural edition, will aim to claim victory. During a game preview on JioCinema, de Villiers was asked to identify the favorites and likely winners.
AB de Villiers responded, “It’s very difficult to say who the favorites are. Both teams haven’t played a lot of Test cricket recently, but what I can say is that India, in their last Test match at the Oval, secured a win against a strong England team. They will draw confidence from that.” De Villiers further added, “I believe India will come out on top on day five of the Test match. It might go the distance. The pitch is good for batting, but I think the Indian spinners will come into play in the latter stages of the match.”
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Since the conclusion of the four-match series earlier this year, neither Australia nor India has played any Test cricket. The Australian players are entering the final with limited competitive experience, unlike their Indian counterparts who were actively involved in the Indian Premier League (IPL) or county cricket.
De Villiers, known for his astute observations, identified Indian captain Virat Kohli as the player expected to shoulder the responsibility in the WTC final. Given Kohli’s consistent performances and his influential presence within the Indian team, this comes as no surprise. Kohli has been a pillar of the Indian batting lineup for many years and has always delivered under pressure.
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“I will mention just one player, someone who always rises to the occasion in these kinds of series, especially in the UK and Australia. Wherever he goes, he wants to prove a point – it’s Virat Kohli. It’s great to see him enjoying the game of cricket, and I can’t wait to witness him excel in the UK once again,” AB de Villiers expressed.
The much-anticipated World Test Championship final is scheduled to begin on June 7, and the Indian players have had ample time to prepare for the crucial encounter.
