WTC final: Venkatesh Prasad backs India to come on top due to all-round strength

The ICC World Test Championship Final (WTC) is just four days away, with India and New Zealand set to battle it out at The Ageas Bowl in Southampton. Former cricketers, experts, and fans are calculating all possible combinations and predictions for the summit clash. While some have picked India to come on top due to their incredible consistency in the last two years, some have tipped Blackcaps due to their strong pace bowling options in these conditions.

Former India pace bowler Venkatesh Prasad has picked his choice and he believes the Men in Blue are slight favourites to win WTC Final due to the strong depth at their disposal. Over the past few years, the Indian team has taken their game to a different level due to various players stepping up at crucial junctures.

This makes India even more dangerous the former pace bowler feels. “Two best teams are playing the final. India have got a lot of options as their bench is also very strong,” Prasad told, as reported by Circle of Cricket.

He further added that India is not lacking behind in the pace department as they have the likes of Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, and Mohammed Siraj, who all can pose a different kind of challenge to the opposition teams. 

“Be it a batting or seaming track, India have got the upper hand for the simple reason: In the early 90s and later 2000s, there will be two good seamers but the team did have not a third or fourth option. ”

We always had world-class spinners but now we also have a world-class pace attack: Venkatesh Prasad

The cricketer-turned-expert also mentioned the fact that with both Ravi Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja finding form, the spin department is well sorted. Prasad also feels that be it pace or spin track the Men in Blue has enough firepower to tackle both.

“Now the squad has got the strength of that and a couple of very good all rounders. We always had world-class spinners but now we also have a world-class pace attack.”

“And we also have the batting to 350 runs on the board. Now we have got everything covered. It doesn’t matter what sort of a pitch it would be. It should be India all the way,” he explained.