Rohit Sharma a tremendous player, but India a dangerous batting lineup throughout: Tim Southee

Tags: ICC World Test Championship Final 2021, India, New Zealand, India vs New Zealand, Final at Southampton, Jun 18-22, 2021, Timothy Grant Southee, Rohit Gurunath Sharma

Published on: Jun 17, 2021

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New Zealand fast bowler Tim Southee has admitted that India are a very dangerous batting lineup and that the Kiwi bowlers will have to be on top of their game to do well. New Zealand will face India in the World Test Championship (WTC) final in Southampton from June 18. Expressing his admiration for Team India opener Rohit Sharma at a virtual press conference, Southee added that there are others who can make a difference as well.

"Rohit is a tremendous player in all three formats. He's personally a guy I like watching bat. He can take the game away from opposition. But I know as a bowling group that it's a dangerous batting lineup throughout. For he's only one of many, many very good batters in this lineup and we know we're gonna have to be on top of our game.”

The fast bowler revealed that the New Zealand team will be closely observing footage of Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill since they too are extremely talented players. Southee added, "It's an exciting batting lineup, a mix of experienced guys and a couple of young guys who are coming to play with that freedom and the excitement that that they have. Nowadays, there's plenty of footage out. So, we will discuss footage and then come up with plans which will hopefully work."

The 32-year-old also opened up about the WTC final being a one-off Test. It may be recalled that, a days back, Indian coach Ravi Shastri had stated that a best-of-three final would have been more apt for a tournament like the WTC. According to Southee the tournament could evolve going further. He explained, "At the start of the two-year cycle, we knew that it was going to be a one-off final. Maybe it's something they can look at going forward and then potentially make changes."

"It was made clear two years ago at the start of the cycle, what was required to win the championship. It's been great to put context around the Test game, to have the two-year cycle. There have already been adjustments going forward to the next cycle. So, it'll be an evolving thing," he added.

Southee is one of New Zealand’s most successful pace bowlers, with 309 wickets from 78 Tests. He and left-arm pacers Trent Boult and Neil Wagner are expected to pose a lot of problems to India on a responsive Southampton surface.

--By A Cricket Correspondent

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