WTC Final 2021: I Fear That India May Be Behind On Their Preparation - Kevin Pietersen

Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen was worried about the fact that India has not had adequate match preparation or warm-up games ahead of the World Test Championship final. The Indian batsmen were involved in IPL which was their last proper tournament and they played an intrasquad game recently which is slightly less when compared to New Zealand who has prepared really well.

New Zealand is coming off an excellent 1-0 series win against England in similar conditions and they will be riding high on full confidence.

The final is just hours from getting underway and the expectations for the test have been of the highest order. This will also be the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship and it is already a big honour to be part of the final for both countries.

Kevin Pietersen Feels India Lack The Adequate Preparation

Kevin Pietersen has felt that New Zealand might have the upper hand in the final with their preparation for the tournament with a two-match test series recently. He added that coming back from IPL straight into a big World Test Championship final is not going to help the Indian team in conditions like England and he also brought into notice the lack of warm-up matches.

“New Zealand has had fantastic preparation for this World Test Championship final. They’ve played two Test matches against England and basically outplayed them in both. You can’t prepare for a Test match in England having been involved in an IPL that was called off a month ago and with no proper warm-up matches at all,” Kevin Pietersen wrote on his blog for Betway Insider.

Kevin Pietersen Heaps Praise On New Zealand Pace Bowling

Kevin Pietersen was fascinated with the way the New Zealand pace bowlers operated and he highlighted the efforts of Tim Southee at Lord’s and Matt Henry’s spell at Edgbaston. He also felt that India might fall behind New Zealand on their preparation factor and it is not going to help their cause in England.

“Their (New Zealand’s) pace bowling against England was fantastic – Tim Southee at Lord’s and then Matt Henry, who probably won’t even play in this match, at Edgbaston. You only get one or two chances in a one-off Test match, and I fear that India may be behind on their preparation,” Kevin Pietersen added.

New Zealand has won the last meeting between these two teams in a test series 2-0 in the World Test Championship.