India will face New Zealand in the World Test Championship final at Southampton starting June 18. The Indian team will look to settle the score of the WC-2019 semi-finals. Let’s have a look at the three surprising players who can make an impact in the WTC finals.
BJ Watling
Easily, one of the most dependable and consistent players around in Test cricket. His performance mostly goes unnoticed under the New Zealand stalwarts like Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, and bowling duo Tim Southee and Trent Boult. For a number of years, Watling’s consistency, both as a batsman and as a wicketkeeper, has gone under the radar. He now has 3,794 Test runs at a decent average of 37.9 including eight Test hundreds, with seven of those coming as a wicket-keeper.
He is one of those players who average almost similar both at home and away matches. In May 2021, BJ Watling announced he will retire from all cricket at the end of New Zealand’s tour of England and the final of the 2019–21 ICC World Test Championship in June 2021. So, he’ll try to end the career on a high note and put up a match-winning performance for his team, as he has done throughout his career. He can be one of those impact players for New Zealand in the WTC finals.
Ravindra Jadeja
During his 12-year-old career, Jadeja has scalped 220 wickets in 51 Tests at an average of 24.32. In the batting department, the southpaw averages 36.19, having tallied 1954 runs with one hundred and 15 half-centuries by his name. And in addition to this, Jadeja can turn the match with his fielding efforts. Regarded as one of the greatest fielders in the world currently, has won many matches for India with rocket throws and stunning catches.
Overall he is a complete package and adds a lot of value to the team. And the emergence of Ravindra Jadeja, the batsmen, gave Kohli the cushion to play three seamers and have proper five bowling options heading into the WTC final. As the reports suggest so far that the pitch is expected to be on the dry side, meaning India is ready to play both their premier spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Jadeja at the Ageas Bowl. So, Jadeja the all-rounder can be that impact player for India in the WTC finals.
Shubman Gill
One of the most talented players around currently. Gill has shown what he can do with the bat on the Australia tour. The way he batted against the Aussie bowlers with the likes of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins was truly amazing. The opening batsman showed great composure and played some impactful innings on the tour, including 91 in the 4th Test which set the tone for India’s historic victory at Gabba.
Gill has scored 378 runs in 13 innings at an average of 34.4 including three fifties so far in his Test career. He has sound technique, equally good on the back foot and front foot. England’s weather, Duke ball, and New Zealand attack will be a tough challenge for Gill in the WTC final, but once he sees off the first spell and gets set he can be the impact player for India.