Kiwis, the first Test champions
After bowlers bundle out India for 170 in the second innings, Williamson, Taylor take NZ over the line
KOLKATA: A one-off Test. A neutral venue in the wettest part of England. It rains as predicted, washing out two days, forcing the match to go to the sixth day. The Dukes ball swings and seams all four days, making batting utterly tricky and draining till the equation boils down to 120 runs in a final extended session against the most balanced bowling attack in the world. It goes to the wire on expected lines till the two most experienced men of New Zealand cricket author a stirring victory. New Zealand have been bested by some bare margins on the threshold of history in the past. Not anymore. The inaugural World Test Championship final finally recognised a quietly resolute cricketing force but it also offered so much more than just a result. This match goes down in the annals of cricket history for living up to the billing, where the elements conspired to be a killjoy but got upstaged by skill and sheer human will.
What were the chances of a draw had this been just another Test match? Probably nine times out of 10. Cheteshwar Pujara feeds on scenarios when the team needs someone to stand and take the blows, leave deliveries and play close to his body. Virat Kohli is well-versed in picking the battles that suit his batting style. But this Test pushed everyone to their limit. You know you are in for an absorbing match when some men strive to be the best at what they do in the most challenging conditions ever offered. Tim Southee’s dreaded inswinger, Kyle Jamieson’s nagging lines, Devon Conway’s calm opening
act, Rishabh Pant’s counterattack, Mohammad Shami and Ravichandran Ashwin’s crafty bowling and a match-winning partnership between Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor, this match kept weaving some memorable moments for us.
It wasn’t meant to be India’s day. Not when Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara are dismissed within the space of two overs in the first session. Any other day, Ajinkya Rahane would have got more bat than that half-hearted strangle down the leg to Trent Boult. Rishabh Pant would have made his luck count for more lap shots after getting a second life when Tim Southee dropped him at slip. This time though, Henry Nicholls cut that dream short with an outstanding catch running back from point. You also
realise it’s not meant to be when Jasprit Bumrah goes wicketless both innings for the first time in a Test away from home in his brief but stellar career. He gave it all though, working the angles, going wide of the crease, pitching it fuller at times and even pinging Ross Taylor on his helmet after Pujara, one of the safest hands in close-in fielding, dropped Taylor at first slip. Add to that the reversal of Williamson’s leg-before dismissal and the writing’s pretty much on the wall. There was no stopping New Zealand after that. An unbeaten 96-run partnership saw to it.
New Zealand will savour this victory for a long time. For finishing second best over the years in a host of ICC tournaments can never be good enough. Taylor, on the cusp of retirement, knows
that best. “This would have to be the highlight of my career. At the start of my career, I felt we probably didn’t have the side to do this. But I am sure there are a few Kiwis waking up who will be very proud. The 2019 World Cup was something that was very tough for us at the time, but this makes up for that. Over time, it’ll sink in a little more.” This victory was also a perfect sendoff for BJ Watling, one of the finest wicketkeepers, who didn’t abandon post despite dislocating his ring finger. “I didn’t imagine I’d end as a World Test Champion. It’s been a hell of a journey. Huge support over the years from my mates. We’ve got a special group, this is a great way to finish.”
Another Test championship cycle beckons after this but New Zealand will emerge stronger.
The final at Southampton was the foil to a two-year cycle that not only produced some exhilarating wins but also gave them two fine cricketers in Jamieson and Conway who will get better over time. “We knew we had a big first hour, and just to see how things panned out,” said Jamieson who finished with seven wickets, including Kohli twice, in the match. “We were hopeful they might pan out our way if we put the ball in the right place, but we knew this is a quality Indian team as well. It was nice to get the ball first up and to play a part, I guess.”
Expect this victory to finally bolster New Zealand’s unfailing endeavour to establish them as a cricket force. But more significantly, this was a win for a nation that has always been
more a team than a bunch of individuals, who play hard but never let emotions get in the way. “We started this journey two years ago. To be sitting here as champions is special,” said Southee after the match. “There’s a lot of hard work that has gone into it. Consistency comes to mind: consistency through performances, consistency in selection. We do a lot for each other. It’s satisfying to achieve what we have. This group has pushed each other to get special.”