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SPORTS JUNE 11, 2021 | The Indian Eye 50

cricKeT aT a GLance

WTc: at the Mother of all finals, Team

india ready for “one hell of an event”

India and New Zealand will lock horns at the Ageas Bowl, Southampton,

beginning June 18

Our Bureau
When asked whether the up-
Southampton coming UK tour is like the final
frontier for Team India: “Test
ndia skipper Virat Kohli cricket, we have been number
and head coach Ravi Shastri
Ion Wednesday said that the one for a few years, another
final of the World Test Champi- transition is going within the
onship (WTC) will be the big- team. I do not think this is the
final frontier for the team. It is
gest event as the longest format an ongoing process to keep the
of the game tests a player in standard of Indian cricket high,
each and every department. transition phase is going on now
India and New Zealand will
lock horns in the finals of WTC so our job is to ensure that the
at the Ageas Bowl, Southamp- passion remains within the next
lot of players. We had no doubt
ton, beginning June 18. Before in our minds that we will be the
that, New Zealand will also play first team to feature in the WTC
a two-match Test series against finals.”
England, which has begun to- Ravi Shastri
day at Lord’s. “See it is the first Best-of-three finals would
time that you have a World Test be ideal
Championship final. When you Ravi Shastri on Wednesday
look at that and the magnitude said that going ahead, the Inter-
of the game that is going to be national Cricket Council (ICC)
played, I think this is the biggest, should look to make the final of
if not the biggest-ever. It is the
toughest format of the game; it the World Test Championship
is a format that tests you. It has (WTC) a best-of-three contest
not happened over the three and it could be played like a
three-match series.
months; it has happened over “I think ideally in the long
two years where teams have run, if they want to pursue this
played each other across the WTC, best of three finals would
world and earned their right to
play in the finals. It is one hell of be ideal. But you have to finish
an event,” said Ravi Shastri while it as early as possible, because
of the FTP (Future Tours Pro-
answering an ANI query during gramme). One-off is a one-off.
a virtual press conference. Virat Kohli Guys have earned their stripes.
Answering the same ques-
tion, Kohli said: “I agree. I think started to come up the ranks as be ideal. But you have to finish When you start competing at the
this holds a lot of value, especial- a side and we are just happy to it as early as possible, because top, you have the ability to pull
ly this being the first of its kind. take the opportunity to play the of the FTP. One-off is a one-off. yourself out of tough situations.
It is the toughest format as Ravi finals.” Guys have earned their stripes. This side has pulled itself out of
big problems so I think the final
Bhai mentioned. We take a lot of Shastri also opined that if the When you start competing at the is a great victory for the boys re-
pride in playing Test cricket and WTC has to be played in the fu- top, you have the ability to pull ally,” said Shastri during a virtual
the way we have progressed as a ture, then the ICC should look yourself out of tough situations,” press conference.
side is an example of what Test to have a three-match series in said Shastri.
cricket means to us. So, for all of place for the finals. “This side has pulled itself “There is no pressure on me,
us as a unit, this is like an accu- “I think ideally in the long out of big problems so I think I am just fulfilling the responsi-
mulation of all the hard work of run, if they want to pursue this the final is a great victory for the bility which has been given to me.
the last five-six years where we WTC, best of three finals would boys really,” he added. Continued on next page... >>

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