R Ashwin banks on experience to take on well-prepared New Zealand in WTC final

India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has conceded that New Zealand will have an upper hand going into the World Test Championship final for the fact that they have been in England for some time and have got used to conditions having played two Tests against England. 

He also rated Blackcaps a ‘fantastic’ side that possess ‘exciting’ players but said that India too have played the game well in the last two years to deserve a place in the WTC final against New Zealand and that they will rely on their experience to be at their best to defeat them.

"We have played well to get to the World Test Championship final and we are deservedly there. (New Zealand) are a fantastic team and have a lot of exciting cricketers. The fact that they would have played a couple of Test matches before the final will be good preparation for them. So we have to adapt, use our experience, and be ready,” Ashwin said Sportstar.

He also expressed his delight over the International Cricket Council’s idea to make Test cricket more relevant and make bilateral series have more context through the World Test Championship. He said the ICC has done a ‘phenomenal’ job of pulling off a global tournament such as the WTC and scheduling a final in the middle of a pandemic.

"I think (World Test Championship) is always going to get better. The idea of having some context to the whole Test arena is amazing. It was long pending and I'm so pleased the ICC has done it," Ashwin told Sportstar. 

"Some areas will be addressed, but considering the pandemic, they have done a phenomenal job. To sustain the health of Test cricket is healthy for cricket. The more Test cricket is played, the more cricketers are going to get rounded, and it will help other forms of the game as well," he added.

Ashwin should walk into the Indian team for the WTC final if Virat Kohli and the team management decide to go ahead with two spinners in the playing XI considering pitch conditions in Southampton. However, his place is not guaranteed with the presence of Ravindra Jadeja in the squad.