Intra-squad games have not got the same intensity: Alastair Cook on India’s WTC final preparation

It’s been more than a week since India suffered heartbreak at the hands of New Zealand in the final of the World Test Championship. But since the stakes were high with Virat Kohli’s men coming into the game on the back of some stellar performances, experts continue to do the postmortem of the loss.

Former England skipper Alastair Cook has pointed out why India came up short in the all-important final.

"I did say New Zealand were going to win that game purely down to the fact that they were match-hardened. Those two Test matches against England were such perfect preparation,” Cook said on the BBC's Tuffer and Vaughan Podcast.

“Intra-squad games, as good as your intention might be, it hasn't got the same intensity. First hour might be really competitive but everything goes less and less and less. India were hard done by that way," he added.

Cook suggested that India may have gotten ahead of themselves a bit in announcing the team for the final.

"They (India) got a bit confident in picking that side three days out before (the game) and playing two spinners where they pretty much knew it was going to rain for a lot of that game. So, a lot of seam bowling was bowled. Even though their spinners are world-class, they got a little bit ahead of themselves there," he said.