The Test Championship Has Added Context To Test Cricket - Kane Williamson

New Zealand captain, Kane Williamson feels that the move to introduce the World Test Championship (WTC) by the International Cricket Council (ICC) has provided context to Test cricket and even makes the dead rubbers significant.

In view of the decreasing interest in the 5-day format, the governing body introduced the WTC cycle where the top 9 Test teams will play a certain number of games in a two-year cycle and points will be awarded for win and draw – hence, this will make every team push for a win instead of looking to draw the game even if they lead the series.

Despite things not going according to plans for the ICC owing to the pandemic, the ruling body has decided to conduct the final, in June 2021, at the Lord’s after making changes to the ranking system; with teams not being able to complete all the scheduled matches, ICC changed the ranking system from the number of points to percentage of points earned with the top two teams with the highest PCT will go to play the final.

Exciting to play in the final of the first WTC: Kane Williamson

Kane Williamson’s New Zealand became the first team to qualify for the WTC final after Cricket Australia announced that they have postponed their away Test series against the Proteas citing health concerns due to the covid situation in South Africa. The Black Caps have a better PCT than their trans-Tasman neighbours and unless Australia faces South African soon – which is unlikely given the busy schedule – the Kiwis are going to the Lord’s to face either India or England.

Kane Williamson expressed his excitement for playing in the inaugural WTC final and praised ICC for their decision to introduce this contest. The right-hander himself has been in tremendous form since cricket resumed in the pandemic era – the Kiwi skipper has smashed two double hundreds and a hundred in his last three Tests.

“It’s exciting to play in the final of the first (World) Test Championship. Adding Test Championship has added context to Test cricket and it has been a really interesting move. I think we have seen that more so in recent months, where sides have made players benefit from opportunities to advance themselves into the final and that’s really exciting,” Kane Williamson told Sports Today.

While Australia can still make through to the WTC final – Tim Paine’s side’s fate will depend on the result of the upcoming series between Virat Kohli’s and Joe Root’s team, both of whom are also vying for that vacant spot at Lord’s.

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