Former India pacer Ajit Agarkar believes that the New Zealand cricket team can no longer be deemed as underdogs in ICC tournaments and India will not take their opponents lightly. New Zealand and India will play the ICC World Test Championship final on June 18 in Southampton.
According to Agarkar Virat Kohli and Co. will have to play well to defeat the Kiwis.
“I hope not. I don’t think the Indian team would be guilty to underestimate them (The Kiwis). I think the underdog tag has gone away from New Zealand. Every ICC tournament you look at – okay, this is the first of its kind, Test championship – every ICC tournament, whether it’s the T20 World Cup, the Champions Trophy, the World Cup; they always turn up, they’re always there in the thereabout.”
“If not the finals, then in the quarterfinals or the semi-finals. And that’s a testament to their consistency. So, the underdog tag should go. Yes, there are, perhaps bigger names in some of the other teams and that’s why you count them as favorites.” Agarkar said on Star Sports’ show Cricket Connected.
“So, I don’t think India will be underestimating them. They beat India comprehensively well when India toured New Zealand and the conditions are likely to be very similar to what India got in New Zealand. So, India will have to play well to beat New Zealand in this contest,” he added.
