WTC Final: Performance of top 6 batsmen of India, NZ during World Test Championship; Rohit, Williamson shine

But if you concise the comparison into the WTC cycle that started in 2019, then will get a totally different picture. There is not much gap between the Indian and New Zealand batsmen and in fact a couple of Kiwi batsmen are ahead too.

Devon Conway, who started his Test career against England, made a massive impact at Lords and Edgbaston in the last fortnight. Ross Taylor is the only Kiwis batsman who has not scored hundred in this cycle, while India have two batsmen who have missed the three-figure mark – Cheteshwar Pujara and Shubman Gill.

Kohli has two hundreds but his last century came in 2019 against Bangladesh at home and after that he has gone through a lean patch in Test cricket, In fact, that hundred was his last one in international cricket too, and the Delhi man will be eager to buck the trend and score big, helping India to a solid batting show at the Ageas Bowl.

Rohit Sharma is the best batsman from either side scoring 1030 runs in this period from 11 Tests at an average in excess of 64 with four hundreds. Ajinkya Rahane tallied the highest number of runs from either side – 1095 runs from 17 matches with 3 centuries. He averaged 43.8.

Here is a closer look at how the top six batsmen of India and New Zealand fared in the WTC cycle with the help of OPTA/Stats Perform.

1. Openers

India

Rohit Sharma: M: 11 R: 1030 Avg: 64.4 Hs: 212 100s: 4.

Shubman Gill: M: 7 R: 378 Avg: 34.4 Hs: 91 100: 0.

NZ

Tom Latham: M: 11, R: 680, Avg: 40, Hs: 154, 100: 1

Devon Conway: M: 2, R: 306, Avg: 76.50, Hs: 200, 100: 1

No 3 batsman

India

Cheteshwar Pujara: M: 17 R: 818 Avg: 29.2 Hs: 81, 100: 0

NZ

Kane Williamson: M: 9, R: 817, Avg: 58.4, Hs: 251, 100: 3

Middle-order batsmen

India

Virat Kohli: M: 14, R: 877, Avg: 43.9, Hs: 254*, 100: 2

Ajinkya Rahane: M: 17, R: 1095, Avg: 43.8, Hs: 115, 100: 3

Rishabh Pant: M: 11, R: 662, Avg: 41.4, Hs: 101, 100: 1

NZ

Ross Taylor: M: 11, R: 469, Avg: 31.3, Hs: 86, 100: 0

BJ Watling: M: 10, R: 417, Avg: 29.8, Hs: 105*, 100: 1

Henry Nicholls: M: 10, R: 585, Avg: 41.8, Hs: 174, 100: 2