India edge ahead on truncated opening day of ICC World Test Championship final against New Zealand
For this Indian cricket team which has plenty to prove in the six Test matches scheduled in this English summer, it was imperative to make a positive start with the bat—their Achilles heel in the Old Blighty. The opportunity arrived on the very first day, technically the second, of the final of the inaugural ICC World Test Championship against New Zealand, and they responded in a splendid passion.
India were 146/3 at stumps when play was called off following several interruptions due to bad light, with their captain, an aggressive batsman whose natural instinct is to dominate bowlers of all kinds, produced an innings of restraint, control and command. Kohli’s unbeaten 44, which consumed 124 deliveries featuring just one hit to the fence as he sent out the strong message to both New Zealand and England that he is gearing up to deliver once again.
Kohli’s innings underlined the preparedness and the intent of this Indian batting line-up for the big match against New Zealand and the five proposed Tests to come against England starting early August.
Kohli was in company of his deputy and the perennially-scrutinised Ajinkya Rahane, as the two batting stars of the Indian team did not let New Zealand walk off with the satisfaction of having dismissed Rohit Sharma (34), Shubman Gill (28) and Cheteshwar Pujara (8) after all three getting their eye in and yet failing to make it big.
Rahane reached 29 not out from 79 balls and put on 58 runs with Kohli for the fourth wicket, which came off 24.2 arduous overs from the Kiwi bowlers who made full use of bowling-friendly conditions. While the Kiwis did get frustrated in their efforts of getting the better of India’s stoic pair of Kohli and Rahane, they did make full use of the seaming and swinging conditions owing to thick cloud cover on Saturday to keep their side in the contest.
India did not show any nerves or technical ineptitude when the Kiwis asked them to bat first having won the toss. Rohit was impeccable in his defence, Gill showcased his splendid arsenal of strokes against short balls and Pujara did what he does best. The India No 3 scored his first runs off a boundary on the 36th ball which he faced, and got a similar result on the next delivery but could not add more to his total.
The opening day of the final witnessed both the teams battling hard for supremacy but none really took the upper hand. India, with Kohli going strong and with some runs on the scoreboard, will be a confident bunch when they take field on Sunday—weather permitting—as the ICC WTC final promises to be a nail-biting contest.
