If New Zealand win the toss and bowl first, they will bowl out India cheaply: Shane Bond

Prediction and analysis are on with the ICC World Test Championship final just a couple of days away. India and New Zealand are the two sides crossing swords in the summit clash, and they must leave no stones unturned to emerge victorious. After all, for the very first time, a world title is at stake in a Test match. With the encounter holding such tremendous significance, many players and experts have presented their views on playing conditions, probable winners and other factors.

Former New Zealand pacer Shane Bond also did the same in a recent interaction. Bond backed his countrymen to get the better of the Indian side, saying the Kiwi pacers will wreak havoc with the new ball. The 46-year-old even believes that the Blackcaps will take the field with five fast bowlers, whereas India will go with three pacers and two spinners.

“I think New Zealand are going to win. Game practices going to have a massive impact. I think India have got a balanced bowling attack. I think they will play three seamers and two spinners. I think New Zealand will play five seamers, and I think they will win the toss and they will bowl first,” Bond said as quoted by Rediff.com.

Toss is going to be huge: Shane Bond

Bond expects toss will play a massive role and he reckons New Zealand will bundle India out cheaply if the coin lands in Kane Williamson’s favour. “If New Zealand win the toss and bowl as well as they have. I think they will bowl out India cheaply. So, it’s the toss that is going to be huge,” he pointed out.

Former West Indies pacer Ian Bishop, who was part of the same interaction, reckons India have become an even formidable force after defeating Australia in the Test series earlier this year. “After what they accomplished in Australia with all the injuries. They’re a team that can achieve the impossible,” Bishop said.

Meanwhile, New Zealand will head into the summit clash on the back of a 1-0 Test series over hosts England, and they must be high on confidence. On the other hand, Team India didn’t get any such Test series for preparation. However, they sweated it out in an intra-squad practice match to get the hold of conditions.