New Zealand pace bowler Tim Southee on Wednesday said that the World Test Championship final can be seen changes in future despite being a one-off match as well. Not only he but India head coach Ravi Shastri also revealed that the WTC final can be decided in a best-of-three match series as well earlier this month.
“At the start of the two-year cycle, we knew that it was going to be a one-off final. Maybe it’s something they can look at going forward and then potentially make changes,” Southee shared during a virtual press conference. “It was made clear two years ago at the start of the cycle, what was required to win the championship. It’s been great to put context around the Test game, to have the two-year cycle. There have already been adjustments going forward to the next cycle. So, it’ll be an evolving thing,” he added.
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However, the Kiwis have finished as runner-up in the last two ODI World Cups and they have recently won the two-match Test series by 1-0 against England as well. While talking about their run in the recent ICC tournaments, the veteran said, “It’s been long time since we won the Champions Trophy in 2000. We’ve come very close in the last last couple.”
Tim Southee, who has claimed 309 wickets in 78 Tests so far, said that the team has prepared well for the summit clash against India, starting in Southampton from June 18 as well.
“We’ve played two Tests against England, which obviously has been pretty good for us. It’s been a great preparation leading up to this Test final good number of guys that have had good performances throughout those two Test matches. A couple of good days training today and tomorrow. And as you know, we’re all looking forward to what is the ultimate goal of this tour,” he further added.
However, the speedster is aware that the Indian team has a strong batting lineup with the players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in their kitty and the pacer said that the Kiwi bowlers will have to be their best to succeed as well.
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“Rohit is a tremendous player in all three formats. He’s personally a guy I like watching bat. He can take the game away from opposition. But I know as a bowling group that it’s a dangerous batting lineup throughout. For he’s only one of many, many very good batters in this lineup and we know we’re gonna have to be on top of our game. It’s an exciting batting lineup, a mix of experienced guys and a couple of young guys who are coming to play with that freedom and the excitement that that they have. Nowadays, there’s plenty of footage out. So, we will discuss footage and then come up with plans which will hopefully work,” Tim Southee concluded.
