The World Test Championship (WTC) has revitalized the five-day format by infusing every match with significance, according to New Zealand captain Tom Latham. Ahead of his team’s decisive encounter against India, Latham emphasized the importance of the WTC in driving the Black Caps’ performance.
New Zealand’s 2-0 lead in the ongoing Test series against India has reignited their hopes of reaching the WTC final at Lord’s next year. This marks their first-ever Test series victory on Indian soil.
“From our perspective, there’s a significant incentive at the end in the form of the World Test Championship,” Latham stated. “As a result, every game is crucial for us.”
India’s dominance at the top of the WTC standings has been challenged by their recent losses, with Australia, Sri Lanka, and New Zealand closing in. India has reached the finals of both previous WTC seasons, falling to New Zealand in the inaugural edition and Australia last year.
Latham acknowledged the significance of winning the competition, stating, “It gives you a taste of what that success feels like.” He added, “I believe that once you achieve it once, you want to do it again.”
In the second Test in Pune, New Zealand outplayed India at their own spin game, with Mitchell Santner claiming 13 wickets in the match. However, Latham cautioned against underestimating India, emphasizing that “two losses don’t make them a bad team overnight.”
