Cricket: Lack of match practice may hurt Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma in WTC Final, opines Dilip Vengsarkar

Legendary former Indian cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar reckons that the lack of preparation heading into the ICC World Test Championship final “may hurt” the Indian cricket team. Vengsarkar’s comments come after Kohli, in the pre-departure press conference, said that lack of practice is not a big worry for the team.

While India are undergoing quarantine in Southampton, New Zealand are taking on England in a two-Test series before the World Test Championship final. Opining on the matter, Vengsarkar said that despite Kohli and Rohit being world-class players, the lack of matches in the build-up to the event could hamper their performance in the WTC final.

"Well he (Kohli) has been around for a long time. He (Kohli) is one of the best batsmen in world cricket at the moment. Players like Virat or Rohit Sharma, they are world-class players, they take a lot of pride in their performance and pride in winning matches for India," Vengsarkar, the former chairman of selectors, told PTI on Sunday.

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"It is a good thing and both are in very good form. But having said that, I think lack of match practice may hurt them in the first Test match that is what I feel," Vengsarkar said.

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Vengsarkar further said that the two-Test series against England will give a perfect opportunity for the Black Caps to gear up for the much-awaited WTC final.

"India is a better team and in great form. The advantage with New Zealand, it is a low profile team, the thing is that they are getting to play two Test matches before the Test match (World Test Championship final)," Vengsarkar said.

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"So it is important... it is a slight advantage to New Zealand... because they have already played two Test matches before they start (of the WTC final), they are acclimatised to the conditions," reckoned Vengsarkar.

"What I feel is that India should have played games, you know matches, at least two-three games before the Test match (WTC), to get acclimatised to the conditions."