WTC Final: A fantastic challenge to play against India - Kane Williamson

The top two Test ranked teams - India and New Zealand - lock horns in the inaugural World Test Championship Final at Rose Bowl Stadium from June 18. Kane Williamson, the Blackcaps skipper, expressed his excitement ahead of the all-important clash against India. He sees matchups against India as a "fantastic challenge."

“When we play against India, it has always been a fantastic challenge and so it is really exciting to be playing against them," Williamson was quoted as saying in a video posted by the ICC on its Twitter handle.

In order to add context to the bilateral Test series, the International Cricket Council (ICC) officially launched the World Test Championship in July 2019. When asked about the tournament's progress, Williamson stated that it has produced contests that provided "real excitement.”

“The games were really tight, such as in the India-Australia series and our series against Pakistan as well where you had to really fight hard to get the results, which is really great. We saw the contests in the WTC has brought real excitement, ” he said. 

India's red-ball dominance is inspiring. A large proportion of credit goes to the pace bowling annex. The blackcaps are wary of India’s potent bowling attack. New Zealand speedster, Neil Wagner, heaped praise on the Indian bowling attack. The left-arm pacer believes India has a bowling attack capable of capitalising on seam-friendly conditions.

"India has a lot of quality fast bowlers who have done well in different conditions. They can swing (the ball) under overcast conditions but when the sun comes out, it (wicket ) is flat and nothing happens. (English) Conditions can change throughout and so I am not getting carried away too much, trying to control the controllable, ” Wagner added.

Hanuma Vihari, who is currently plying his trade for Warwickshire, is in high spirits ahead of the big clash. He claimed that it would be an honour to represent the country in such a high-profile game. 

"I am excited but I would want to be in that moment and not to get too much carried away by the importance of the situation. But as a sportsman, to play for India in the final of the inaugural World Test Championships is always a great feeling," Vihari stated.

After undergoing a 10-day hard quarantine in Mumbai, Team India will board the flight to England in the first week of June. The majority of New Zealand players, on the other hand, have already arrived in the United Kingdom to prepare for the two-match Test series against England.