*Official* World Test Championship Final 2021

[hendrix]

I don't mind the no spin XI but I fear that this will be a dust bowl

The thing is, even in a dustbowl, Wagner and Southee are still likely to take the brunt of the wickets, and the Indian batsmen are still likely to dominate whatever spinner we pick.

 

[Athlai]

The thing is, even in a dustbowl, Wagner and Southee are still likely to take the brunt of the wickets, and the Indian batsmen are still likely to dominate whatever spinner we pick.

This is very true.

 

[BeeGee]

Man, I just don't know the final NZ X1 we should go with. That 11th spot - the allrounder spot.

Definitely think the 4 seamers should be picked, don't throw away the formula that got you here.

Until about half an hour ago, I was fairly certain in my 11, it would have excluded the spinner. But listening to Adam Collins on his podcast mentioning that the test is 6 days if required so almost certainly going the 5 days unless one team bombs. So, a spinner would have a role. Until considering the spinner necessity ... I would have been livid at any suggestion of Jamieson at 7 and playing 5 bowlers. Too unbalanced. Especially as our batting is a bit dodgier than it was 2 or 3 years ago.

Ever since Jamieson has come along, I think CdG role has been rubbed out. So, definitely not CdG for me, as much I like him and have truely appreciated his bowling the last 5 years.

I'm not a Santner hater. I've been prefectly OK with his selection at times as a holding spinner. But, his batting currently just stinks the house out too much for that allrounder spot. So, he's my last pick.

I was going wither Will Young or Darryl Mitchell. As I have doubts about our batting (Taylor and Watling), and I have doubts about the batting of the other 2 allrounders (CdG and Santner). Mitchell's batting fills me with much more confidene than CdG, has certainty in his mind and looks a big match temperament. But now Ajaz has wormed his way into my thinking. Taylor has re-assured me a bit with the second half of his 80.

I'd rather be in India's position on the selection POV. They have some tough choices, but none of their conundrums really affect the balance of the 11. Well, maybe ... unless they don't pick Jadeja. I'd rather be in NZs position in terms of match-play.

I think that sums up the selection conundrum pretty well. Unfortunately I think the selectors will see the answer to that conundrum as Santner.

I'm not that worried about Taylor and Watling. They're both experienced players at the end of their careers and this game is their opportunity to go out on a high note, in the most important test they will ever play. Taylor especially is a big match player.

The batsman that worries me the most is actually Williamson. He looked awful in that first test and I'm worried that elbow injury is messing up his batting.

 

[Athlai]

You've convinced me

Sign me up for the

#spinisntreal XI

Latham
Conway
Williamson
Taylor
Nicholls
Watling
CDG
Jamieson
Southee
Wagner
Boult

aka

The World Test Champions

 

[hendrix]

You've convinced me

Sign me up for the

#spinisntreal XI

Latham
Conway
Williamson
Taylor
Nicholls
Watling
CDG
Jamieson
Southee
Wagner
Boult

aka

The World Test Champions

Mitchell over CdG and you've got a deal

 

[hendrix]

Also the thing with the 6th day is not that we need to take more wickets.

We need to take 20 wickets no matter how many days.

It actually means we need to bat longer.

That's why I'm taking Mitchell over Ajaz and CdG

 

[Bahnz]

I don't mind the no spin XI but I fear that this will be a dust bowl

The groundsman has said that the pitch will have pace, bounce and possibly some turn late in the match.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Not sure even Ajaz Bowl magicians can make a dustbowl if it's gonna rain every day of the Test

Pitch has certainly gone through the seasons already tho

(in b4 england in june memes, yes, you're all very funny and original)

 

[Bahnz]

Yeah, looking at that forecast, I think 5 seamers is pretty much the automatic option. Having said that, long-range weather forecasts are a crapshoot, so let's see how things are looking on Friday morning.

 

[Athlai]

A suitcase full of cash makes anything possible

 

[Howsie]

Play Rachin @ 7

 

[thierry henry]

I know it’s possible, and I probably enjoy his style of bowling less than almost every NZ fan - but I just can’t countenance dropping Wagner.

At this point isn’t there an argument that Wagner is a better bowler than Boult not just on current form, but in general? Boult is our 4th picked seamer and the only argument is whether he ranks above KJ because of sample size lol. Southee and Wags #1 and #2 imo

 

[Fuller Pilch]

The team I'd most like to see (definitely won't happen) is
Latham, Conway, Williamson, Taylor, Nicholls, Ravindra, Blundell, Jamieson, Southee, Wagner, Boult

 

[Flem274*]

I know it’s possible, and I probably enjoy his style of bowling less than almost every NZ fan - but I just can’t countenance dropping Wagner.

At this point isn’t there an argument that Wagner is a better bowler than Boult not just on current form, but in general? Boult is our 4th picked seamer and the only argument is whether he ranks above KJ because of sample size lol. Southee and Wags #1 and #2 imo

yeah, also they shouldn't be competing for the same spot. wagner has basically built himself to be the ultimate change bowler on day 5 kiwi decks aka absolute motorways. it's not that he doesn't want or can't be a swing bowler, its that to have a test career he needed to find a way to take wickets in the situations he was given.

 

[M0rphin3]

What's all this cray talk about dropping Wagz. Boult should be dropped on form, if anything (not convinced by his 6 here, Wags' been way more impressive). Playing Rachin now is obv impossible

Latham
Conway
Kane
Rossco
Nicholls
Mitchell/CdG (I'd honestly pick Mitchell, defo a better #6 option than CdG, forget the bowling - pretty sure the 4 can take care of that)
BJW/Blundell
Jamieson
Southee
Wagz
Boult

No Santa plz. Forget his bowling for a sec, which is more tricky and he has been a tad unlucky there, but where is the famed batting skillz? If going with a spinner, it has to be Ajaz, surely. Tbh I don't think it's really likely to break down and start turning on day 5, and even if it offers some marginal assistance, fairly sure Ajaz will still not be good enough vs Indian batsmen. I'd rather wager on Boult producing his meme spells. And Kane anyway doesn't trust his spinners. Better beef up the batting with Mitchell or even Young IMO.

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

If we lose there's going to be a lot of people mad about selections, but to be honest I'll fine with any non-Santner team.

 

[Athlai]

ICC Batting rankings for a likely XI

Latham #14
Conway #77
WIlliamson #1
Taylor #19
Nicholls #8
Watling #30
CDG #40
Jamieson #83

vs

Rohit #6
Gill #72
Pujara #13
Kohli #5
Rahane #15
Pant #6
Jadeja #42
Ashwin #87


ICC Bowling Rankings

Southee #3
Boult #13
Wagner #4
Jamieson #20
CDG #41

vs

Bumrah # 11
Sharma #17
Shami #18
Jadeja #16
Ashwin#2

So gun how strong both teams are, the only blokes that are outliers (Conway/Gill) only that low due to how recently they debuted.

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

Surprised Jadeja isn't higher than 42.

 

[Athlai]

Surprised Jadeja isn't higher than 42.

I think he is getting owned for not playing often enough

 

[Flem274*]

so total ratings then (lower is better)

batting - india 246 (ave 30.75) nz 272 (ave 34)

bowling - india 64 (ave 12.8) nz 81 (ave 16.2)