*Official* World Test Championship Final 2021

[vandem]

Interesting take. I wonder if you would also describe it as the ultimate test if the situation was reversed in the future.

Say for instance if NZ topped the WTC table after some hard fought overseas victories after which the final was held in Sri Lanka where India had only a week before completed another Lanka wash and the BC landed there with a weeks notice and then lost the toss on a raging turner.

Would be fine.

Hopefully NZ would learn the lesson from the last Aussie tour debacle and use the short buildup to play some competitive cricket rather than some inter-squad games. Perhaps a pre-WTC final tour of Bangladesh, 2 tests, playing some "NZ A" players if necessary in 1st test (e.g. if IPL still running) and full squad in 2nd test. I would also expect that they would have a special build up programme for the spinners in the test squad (who are unlikely to be in IPL), perhaps NZ A games in Townsville / Darwin or tour to play Sri Lanka A / Bangladesh A?

 

[Victor Ian]

I'd be pissed if, say Australia, made the final and was blown away because it was on a raging turner. The final venue should be something as neutral as possible - somewhere that rewards seam, swing and spin equally. I'm not sure where that is, though.

This track somewhat diluted India's clear spin supremacy. Granted, that may have had to do with the rain, but future selections should be made on where is the most equitable ground, not on sharing it around countries, etc.

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

*points at Rwanda on giant world map*

 

[Days of Grace]

I think the pitch at Southampton would have been a good one for both teams if the weather was set fair for all five days. There’s no doubt there would have been turn for the Indian spinners on days 4 and 5 if there had actually been some sun.

 

[Athlai]

I think the pitch at Southampton would have been a good one for both teams if the weather was set fair for all five days. There’s no doubt there would have been turn for the Indian spinners on days 4 and 5 if there had actually been some sun.

Reaching the 5th day of play didn't actually happen though.

 

[honestbharani]

All anger on the weather aside, it is obvious why ICC chose England. Its the only place where you probably get a crowd for a neutral test match. That said, I do expect the next final to be in Dubai.

What would be nice is if they do the IPL thing and award the final to the team that won the previous edition. So now NZ will get to host the 2023 final.

 

[Hurricane2]

This is a very minor comment
There were many twists and turns in the match
One small turn was after kj hit gill in the helmet
Up until then the Indian openers were walking at the nz Bowlers in a pre-set game strategy to negate both side ways movement and also the lengths of the opposition bowlers
The tactic of advancing was abandoned after gill was cracked on the head. Had they continued to successfully walk down the outcome may have been different.

 

[honestbharani]

This is a very minor comment
There were many twists and turns in the match
One small turn was after kj hit gill in the helmet
Up until then the Indian openers were walking at the nz Bowlers in a pre-set game strategy to negate both side ways movement and also the lengths of the opposition bowlers
The tactic of advancing was abandoned after gill was cracked on the head. Had they continued to successfully walk down the outcome may have been different.

I am pretty sure Virat and others kept doing it throughout the game. Only Gill stopped it and that too, only at KJ. NZ were just better. Its not like India did not try or whatever, except on the last day where some soft wickets were given away. India blinked first in a high quality contest and NZ held their levels for longer than India did. I dont really think a single moment changed the game and that is a credit to NZ. There were a lot of moments that could have cost NZ the game and the fact that they didn't shows how well they played to come back. An example is Southee's drop of Pant.

 

[Flem274*]

I think Jamiesons two corridor wickets on the final morning put India in the corner. From there it was no more second chances, 5-7 had to bat until tea or they were done.

 

[Hurricane2]

I am pretty sure Virat and others kept doing it throughout the game. Only Gill stopped it and that too, only at KJ. NZ were just better. Its not like India did not try or whatever, except on the last day where some soft wickets were given away. India blinked first in a high quality contest and NZ held their levels for longer than India did. I dont really think a single moment changed the game and that is a credit to NZ. There were a lot of moments that could have cost NZ the game and the fact that they didn't shows how well they played to come back. An example is Southee's drop of Pant.

Fair enough. Good reply

 

[SteveNZ]

I'd love to have a comparison of the amount of runs scored at both ends while Pant was in (ie at his end and the other). In hindsight, as much as I got excited at the time that Pant was playing the way he was, the lack of impetus at the other end makes it look like there wasn't particularly a plan. Or if there was, someone wasn't playing to it.

 

[Days of Grace]

Reaching the 5th day of play didn't actually happen though.

Because of the rainy, cloudy conditions suited pace bowling. If it had been a clear forecast it would have suited the seamers on days 1 and 2 and then flattened out before assisting the spinners on days 4 and 5. Another factor was the two sets of seam bowlers played out of their skins. I don't think I've ever watched a match where there had been so few loose deliveries.

 

[Hurricane2]

I Dont think I've ever watched a match where there had been so few loose deliveries.

Will be a lame comment by me coming up but based on my personal playing career bowlers really get up for big occasion matches and put in the performance of their lives
My other low quality throw away comment is that in the rugby worid cup the teams play out of their skins, and the all blacks struggle against teams they wouid beat comfortably in a normal test match.
This worid cup final was always going to be special and see players on both teams lift test cricket to a new echelon of intensity.

Henry Blofeld the old commentator used to say "I would pick player X eg Steve Waugh if they were playing for my life"
People played this match with that intensity and gravity
Hopefully it is infectious and the other cricket boards and players are inspired to experience that level themselves in a test final

Both teams brought it

 

[Days of Grace]

That in itself is another argument for a one-off final. It would be hard to maintain that intensity for 3 matches. It makes for a great spectacle to see players putting everything on the line for one match, winner-takes-all.

But I'm not looking forward to 30 years time when newbs on CW dismiss entire player careers cuz they failed to perform in two test championship finals. On the flipside, KJ is the GOAT for the time being.

But don't make it a timeless test. If there is no time pressure, then batsmen would put away all their shots that have even the slightest element of risk. Instead, make it 450 overs.

 

[Nintendo]

There is no way Virat is asking for a 3-Test Finale Series if India won this game. Absolutely no alternate universe where that possibility exists.

Shastri was saying the same thing pre the finals tbf.

 

[hendrix]

One thing that did kinda annoy me was the conspiracy mongering from the derpier corners of the nz cricket community that the switch from Lords to Southampton was a BCCI driven plot to tip the scales in India’s favour.

lol I have to admit I had some worries about this...I was convinced it would turn out to be a raging turner

 

[Jack1]

Just don't have it in England and then 1 reserve day is fine

needs to be timeless, you can’t have a draw. at all costs

 

[Aritro]

needs to be timeless, you can’t have a draw. at all costs

Absolutely. A draw would undermine the whole thing in a truly irredeemable way.

 

[honestbharani]

I'd love to have a comparison of the amount of runs scored at both ends while Pant was in (ie at his end and the other). In hindsight, as much as I got excited at the time that Pant was playing the way he was, the lack of impetus at the other end makes it look like there wasn't particularly a plan. Or if there was, someone wasn't playing to it.

I think the plan was to enable Pant play like Pant by the other end playing normal tight cricket. It worked in Australia, so makes sense they will try it here.

 

[Chrish]

I think t20 has fundamentally changed all aspect of the game. Game has become more attacking. Today’s batsmen usually don’t like to stick around making 50 in 400 deliveries with few exceptions of course. So I wound not be worried about batsmen abusing this to their advantage if it were timeless test.

Having said that test cricket should be decided based on series, not individual games. That’s how it has always been and for a good reason. It’s fundamentally different from other formats and any other sports. People compare it with odi World Cup but it’s bit disingenuous. The later is a big tournament being played in the same one or two countries leading to play offs, then semi final and then final. Usually the team that wins is clearly the best team. On the other hand, this test world Championship is made of random tours all over the world. Heck teams don’t even play the same no of games! I am not saying this should be counted against them. But only fair way to judge the performance is by playing a series between two finalists. And I would go as far as to arrange three games into three different continents to remove any conditional advantage!