India Vs New Zealand WTC Final Day 1 Highlights: Rain abandons play

With the first day of the World Test Championship final at Southampton being washed out without even the toss taking place, Team India might consider making some changes to their playing XI that they announced late Thursday night. 

Read Here What Team India's Fielding Coach R Sridhar Said

The play on Day 2 of the first-ever World Test Championship final will start early at 2:00 pm IST. According to Star Sports, the official broadcaster of the WTC final, 98 overs will be bowled on Day 2 of the one-off Test between India and New Zealand. 

Day 1 of the WTC final has been officially called off by the ICC without a single ball being bowled. The inspection was supposed to be held at 7:30 pm IST but now the match officials have decided to abandon the play on Day 1 due to wet outfield. 

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has said Virat Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri will know that the WTC final is without any doubt the ultimate Test match. Kohli and Shastri had earlier played down the importance of the WTC final, saying "it is not the only Test match they are slated to play in England and that a single game can never decide which is the best team in the world". Pathan has said that deep down both Kohli and Shastri will know that the WTC final is the ultimate Test match because it will crown the first-ever Test champion in 144 years of the longest format.  

According to experts who are in England, there has been no rain in Southampton for over half an hour now. However, the outfield at the Ageas Bowl Stadium has accumulated a lot of water, which still needs to be cleared up before the play could begin. The ICC has announced that the next round of inspection will take place at 7:30 pm IST and if it's raining at the time, the day of play will be called off. 

Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin's wife Prithi Narayanan has shared an update regarding the weather in Southampton. According to Prithi, rain has stopped and fans at the stadium are "very happy". Prithi added that she can hear the dhol and loud singing at the Ageas Bowl.  

Former India international Sanjay Manjrekar wants the Virat Kohli-led boys to lose the toss and bat first in the WTC final against New Zealand. Manjrekar believes that the flip of the coin will not play a major part in the game and even if Kohli loses the toss, Team India is poised to win. 

"I don't think toss is going to be crucial. If you win the toss and bat really well, that's a different matter. But if India loses, that will be ideal for them because they'd want to do the right thing and bat first. So I just hope for Virat Kohli's sake that they lose the toss. Of late, in Test cricket, losing tosses have won plenty of matches so it's not the deciding factor," Manjrekar said.

Meanwhile, India Women have been bowled all-out for 231 on Day 3 of the one-off Test against England Women in Bristol. England Women have secured a lead of 165 runs and have enforced a follow-on on India Women. 

The reserve day for the much-awaited ICC World Test Championship final might come into play as rain has started pouring back again in Southampton after providing a glimmer of hope a few minutes ago. The outfield at the Ageas Bowl has accumulated a lot of water, which will still need a clearing up after the shower stops, meaning the entire day of play might be called off by the umpires and match referee.    

Rain has reportedly stopped pouring in Southampton and the game might start later in the afternoon if the weather remains dry. However, the outfield at the Ageas Bowl has accumulated a lot of water, which still needs to be cleared up in order to start the play. 

Former England skipper Nasser Hussain has said that the reserve day might come into play if it continues to rain in Southampton for another couple of hours. According to Hussain, rain is still pouring over at the Ageas Bowl Stadium and the Day of play might be called off by the umpires if it continues with the same intensity after lunch. 

Former India cricketer VVS Laxman has claimed that a lot of Indians will be supporting the Kiwis in the World Test Championship final because they are very likable characters. 

India's keeper-batsman Rishabh Pant has said it will be the biggest moment in his life if they win the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship final. Pant, while speaking to the ICC, said after the 2016 U-19 World Cup, the WTC final is the biggest stage he is representing India and that too early on in his career. He said it will be a big moment for him and the team if they win the final.  

India opener Rohit Sharma is the only cricketer in the world to make an appearance in the inaugural finals of two different ICC tournaments. Sharma was part of the first-ever ICC T20 World Cup-winning squad that was led by legendary skipper MS Dhoni. 

BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has said the World Test Championship final is like a World Cup final and Team India winning it will be a "remarkable" moment for everyone.  

Former England skipper Nasser Hussain has placed the first-ever World Test Championship final at the top, saying 'both teams will be raring to win the one-off match'. Hussain, while talking about the importance of the WTC final, said India captain Virat Kohli had said he wants to make Test cricket the ultimate competition and when he speaks, the world listens.  

India opener Rohit Sharma has heaped praise on his Mumbai Indians teammate Trent Boult, saying "He is a quality bowler who will ask questions with his bowling". Sharma, while speaking about Boult ahead of the WTC final, said he and the Kiwi pacer repeatedly engaged in fun banter during IPL net sessions. Sharma added that Boult is a quality bowler and he will definitely trouble the batters in Southampton.   

Former England cricketer Nasser Hussain wants Indian openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill to go big and set a good stage for others to come because in England the Duke's ball starts swinging from the word go unlike in Australia and India, where the ball starts swinging or spinning only after 10-20 overs are bowled. 

Former England cricketer Nasser Hussain has said the weather in Southampton looks like the rain will continue even after lunch. Hussain, while speaking to Star Sports, said the first session has been suspended by the ICC but it doesn't look like the rain is going to stop after lunch, adding "the reserve day might come into play". 

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra believes India will push back against the Kiwis in the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship final. Chopra, while speaking on Star Sports, said New Zealand may have won more matches in ICC events against India, but expect the Virat Kohli-led boys to push back because they have been a brilliant Test team in the past couple of years, highlighting how a young side went on to win the historic Test series down under.   

Former India international Sunil Gavaskar has compared the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship final with the first-ever ODI World Cup in 1975. Gavaskar, while presenting in Star Sports, said both teams would be raring to win the first-ever WTC final because it will be etched in the history books for a long time. 

The weather update from Southampton is not what fans are expecting as rain is still continuing to pour over the Ageas Bowl stadium. According to reports, more covers are being spread on the ground to prevent the pitch from getting wet. The first day of the WTC final is now expected to start a bit later than what was announced earlier. Day 1 of the WTC final might even get affected by the rain if it continues to pour for another 3-4 hours.

The BCCI on Thursday announced the final XI from the 15-member WTC final squad it had unveiled earlier this week. The team management has decided to go with two spinners and three pacers in the form of Ravindra Jadeja, Ravi Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, and Jasprit Bumrah. 

India's Playing XI: Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (C), Ajinkya Rahane (VC), Rishabh Pant (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah. 

The United Kingdom meteorological department had warned of thunderstorms in Southampton ahead of the much-awaited WTC final. Currently, it is raining heavily in Southampton and the start of the WTC final on time is looking under the cloud. 

The BCCI on Friday shared an inspirational video of Team India head coach Ravi Shastri ahead of the much-anticipated WTC final. In the video, Shastri can be heard giving a pep talk to his boys in what appears to be the Gabba dressing room after the historic series win down under earlier this year.   

This is the first time in 140 years of Test cricket that a world champion will be decided. The WTC final is expected to begin at 3:30 pm IST today, i.e. June 18.