Former England captain Kevin Pietersen is worried that India do not have enough match practice ahead of the crucial World Test Championship final against New Zealand at the Ageas Bowl starting Friday.
Kevin Pietersen feels for India
“New Zealand have had fantastic preparation for this World Test Championship final. They’ve played two Test matches against England and basically outplayed them in both. You can’t prepare for a Test match in England having been involved in an IPL that was called off a month ago and with no proper warm-up matches at all,” Pietersen wrote in his blog for Betway Insider.
Besides, India does not have a record to brag about in England. They have lost their last three-Test series in England by comprehensive margins 0-4 in 2011, 1-3 in 2014, and 1-4 in 2018.
With English conditions always proving challenging for Indian batsmen and their conditions being a lot similar to New Zealand at home, the task at hand certainly won’t be an easy one for Virat Kohli‘s men.
Add to that the fact that India hasn’t defeated New Zealand in an ICC event since 2003 makes it trickier.
“Their (New Zealand’s) pace bowling against England was fantastic – Tim Southee at Lord’s and then Matt Henry, who probably won’t even play in this match, at Edgbaston. You only get one or two chances in a one-off Test match, and I fear that India may be behind on their preparation,” Pietersen added.
Earlier, former India captain and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly also said that New Zealand have an advantage because of the 1-0 win they secured in the two-Test series.
“New Zealand will have a slight advantage because they have played in these conditions and beat England in their own backyard, which is not easy at all. This was a big series for NZ, they just look so solid. New Zealand won the 2nd Test at Edgbaston without Kane Williamson, Kyle Jamieson and Tim Southee, who have been big players for them in the WTC,” Ganguly told Aaj Tak on eSalaamCricket.
