India vs NZ betting tips – ICC World Test Championship Final

India and New Zealand are set to clash in the inaugural ICC World Test Championship Final at the Ageas Bowl, beginning on Friday morning (BST).

Having finished at the top of the ICC World Test Championship, there is no doubting the star quality at India’s disposal. Despite mixed form in England over recent years, Virat Kohli and co. will be confident they can dominate with bat and ball against a well-balanced New Zealand line-up.

The Blackcaps earned the right to be in the final with a strong record at home in the qualification period. Led from the front by star batsman Kane Williamson and aided by one of the best bowling attacks in the world, the Kiwis look to be the perfect matchup for this power-packed Indian team.

Cricket bookmakers can hardly split these two teams, but most seem to be leaning towards New Zealand at $2.70 for the win. The Indians are pegged around $3.05, so there looks to be plenty of money on both sides of the market.

ICC World Test Championship Final match analysis

India have six of the top 15 runscorers in the World Test Championship. The unassuming Ajinkya Rahane has piled on 1,095 runs from 17 matches, whilst Rohit Sharma has whacked 1,030 runs from just 11 tests. Throw in the formidable duo of Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli and the enigma that is Rishabh Pant at no.7, and India will head into the final confident that they can put the runs on the board.

India’s bowling attack is nothing to be scoffed at either. Ravichandran Ashwin leads the way for his country with 67 wickets in the WTC, but it is the pacemen who loom large on this occasion. With Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Siraj and Umesh Yadav at Kohli’s disposal, the Indian attack will prove to be a handful in English conditions.

New Zealand are not to be discounted and may feel like underdogs even though the online bookies have them on top. With a bowling attack of Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner and Kyle Jamieson, the Kiwis will be peppering the outside edges of India’s bats on a regular basis. Spinner Ajaz Patel has been picked ahead of Mitchell Santner in the 15-man squad for the final, although the Kiwis look set to play four quicks with Colin de Grandhomme at seven.

The Blackcaps found one during their recent Test series against England, with opening batsman Devon Conway scoring a double century on debut and following up with a solid 80 at Edgbaston. Add him into the mix with the likes of Tom Latham, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor and Henry Nicholls, and this World Test Championship Final looks set to be top display of Test match cricket.

India vs New Zealand predictions & best bets – WTC Final 2021

Match result: New Zealand

The way New Zealand played in their series win against England showed that they are here to clear any demons that might linger from the 2019 ICC World Cup. The last time the Blackcaps were in a final in England, they were defeated in cruel circumstances, but this time around we expect the them to head home with a major trophy in their luggage. Led by a dominant bowling display from Boult, Southee, Wagner and Jamieson, the Kiwis may just give Virat Kohli and his men too many headaches over the five days at Southampton.

NZ top runscorer (1st innings): Ross Taylor

Despite only averaging a tick over 33 against India throughout his career, Ross Taylor is certainly not slowing down in the autumn of his international career. Coming off a first innings 80 against England at Edgbaston, New Zealand’s all-time leading runscorer will prove to be a menace for the Indian bowling attack with his risk-versus-reward approach from number four. It was Taylor who put together a craft 50 in the ODI World Cup semi-final between these two, so we know he loves a big stage against top opposition.