Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers has shared his thoughts on the upcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final, stating that India has a better chance of emerging victorious over Australia in the highly anticipated match. The clash is scheduled to commence on June 7 at The Oval in London, with Australia playing their first final and India aiming to make amends after finishing as runners-up in the inaugural edition, where they suffered a defeat against New Zealand.
De Villiers emphasized the difficulty of choosing a clear favorite for the WTC final, considering that both India and Australia have not played an extensive number of Test matches in recent times. However, he pointed out that India holds an advantage due to their recent triumph over a formidable England team at The Oval. Follow your favourite cricket team with attractive cricket betting odds from Nextbet.
“Very difficult to say who are the favorites. Both teams have not been playing a lot of Test cricket of late but what I can say is that India in their last Test match at the Oval have got a win against this very strong England team. They will be taking a bit of confidence from that,” de Villiers said while providing a preview of the match on JioCinema.
The renowned wicketkeeper-batsman expressed his belief that India would emerge victorious on the fifth day of the one-off Test. De Villiers also highlighted the crucial role Indian spinners will play in the latter stages of the summit clash.
“I think India will come out on top on day five of the Test match. I think it might go all the way. It’s a good wicket to bat on, but I think the Indian spinners will come into play in the latter stages of the Test match,” the former cricketer added.
When asked to identify an Indian batsman who would have to shoulder a significant burden, de Villiers chose Virat Kohli. He noted that Kohli always possesses a strong desire to prove himself in every series, particularly in the UK and Australia. De Villiers, a close friend and former teammate of Kohli at Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), expressed his eagerness to witness Kohli’s successful performances in England once again.
“I am just going to mention one and someone who has always been fired up with all these kind of series, especially in the UK and Australia. Everywhere he has traveled, he wants to prove a point – it’s Virat Kohli. It’s great to see him enjoy the game of cricket, and I can’t wait to see him do well in the UK again,” the South African stated.
Regarding the Indian bowling attack, de Villiers acknowledged that the absence of speedster Jasprit Bumrah would be a significant loss for the team led by Rohit Sharma. However, he expressed confidence in Mohammed Siraj’s abilities, emphasizing that Siraj’s exceptional form and additional pace make him the most valuable asset in India’s bowling lineup.
“Bumrah is a big loss for the Indian bowling attack, but I do think that Mohammed Siraj is in the form of his life. He has done well there before. He has got that extra pace. He nips it around off-stump, and I think he is the biggest asset in India’s bowling attack,” he concluded.
As cricket fans eagerly await the clash between India and Australia in the WTC final, de Villiers’ insights add to the excitement and speculation surrounding the outcome of the prestigious match. Get all the latest updates from the world of cricket only on Nextbet Sports.
