WTC Final: India hold an edge over New Zealand, says WI legend Michael Holding

West Indies legend Michael Holding has said Team India will hold an edge over New Zealand in the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) final.

Given the variation in India's bowling attack, irrespective of the conditions at Southampton's Rose Bowl stadium, Virat Kohli and Co could have an upper hand, according to Holding. The weather in England changes unpredictably and as per Holding, India have their bases covered as their bowling department comprises of a terrific pace attack, alongside talented spinners.

"Obviously, conditions will play a role. But the bowling attack India have, it will help them even if conditions remain bright. And if it's sunny throughout, they can even afford to play two spinners. They have that advantage. Even if conditions are damp, I still think India will include one spinner, which could be (Ravichandran) Ashwin as he can contribute well with his batting too. The pitch there (at the Ageas Bowl) does offer turn for spinners, which will be to India's liking," Holding said in an interview with The Telegraph.

However, many pundits have opined that New Zealand have an upper hand going into the inaugural WTC final, considering they are playing a two-match Test series against England ahead of the WTC fixture.

Speaking about the contrasting captaincy styles of Kane Williamson and Kohli, the former West Indian fast bowler explained that both styles come with their pros and cons.

"A calmer captain can help his teammates stay more relaxed on the field. As a result, they can see to it that they aren't too tense. At the same time, though, an expressive/animated captain could be required to lift the spirits of his team, especially during tough and critical situations," explained Holding.

India and New Zealand last faced off in a two-match Test series in 2020, where the BlackCaps claimed a whitewash victory over these opponents at home. However, since then, India have emerged victorious Down Under, against all the odds, before their home win over England in a four-match Test series.

VVS Laxman: We have a strong pool of players

Meanwhile, former India batsman VVS Laxman has heaped praise on India's domestic structure, saying India have managed to unearth a lot of talented players.

"What happened over the last couple of years in Indian cricket is very exciting. We have a very strong pool of players to choose from. Our domestic structure is so robust that there is so much opportunity for unearthing a lot of talented players," Laxman was quoted as saying in an interview.

Laxman went on to hail his former teammate Rahul Dravid for his contribution in recognising quality players.

"The India A programme under Rahul (Dravid) and the contribution of NCA and of course the IPL - these three - are the reasons why we got so many quality players. And the best thing is that by default (may not be by design) a lot of these players got opportunities to showcase their talents and that's why the confidence level is so high," added Laxman.

"I believe that India is very lucky to have so many talented players. It may be a problem for other countries because the talent pool is not as deep as it is available for us. So definitely, India can look at fielding two teams. We are fortunate to have some experienced players who will be going to Sri Lanka, who can walk into any international side." Laxman said.