Kane Williamson and Virat Kohli
Former New Zealand pace spearhead Shane Bond on Tuesday backed his country to beat a star-studded India in the World Test Championship final in Southampton, saying he foresees Kane Williamson winning the toss and his pacers wreaking havoc after that.
The much-anticipated match is set to get underway on June 18. "I think New Zealand are going to win. Game practices going to have a massive impact. I think in India have got a balanced bowling attack. I think they'll play three seamers and two spinners," Bond said in a virtual press conference arranged by Star Sports, the official broadcaster of the game.
"I think New Zealand will play five seamers, and I think they'll win the toss and they'll bowl first," he added.
Bond couldn't really say what India might do if they win the toss but he expects the Kiwis to dominate should Williamson call it correctly.
"...if New Zealand win the toss and bowl as well as they have. I think they'll they'll bowl out India cheaply and that ain't a bad thing," Bond said.
"The risk is if they (NZ) don't bowl them out, India have got two world class spinners and are right in the game. So, it's the toss that is going to be huge. And that first innings is going to be huge," he pointed out.
Former West Indies pacer Ian Bishop, who was part of the same interaction, feels Kohli would be desperate to get his hands on the coveted trophy.
"It will be huge for Virat. He has led from the front which is one of the important things for a captain. He's a batsman who is at the top of his game along with Kane and a select few," he said.
"He would badly want it. For all the good work that he's done, to have that trophy in the cabinet for himself, his team and country, you can't substitute that," he added.
Bishop feels India have shown that they "can achieve the impossible" with the way they performed in Australia despite being saddled with an injury-ravaged squad.
"After what they accomplished in Australia with all the injuries. They're a team that can achieve the impossible," Bishop said
New Zealand head into the WTC final on the back of a 1-0 series victory over hosts England.
