File image of Mitchell Santner and Tom Latham.© PTI
New Zealand captain Tom Latham said ahead of his team’s final battle against India on Thursday that the World Test Championship has breathed new life into the five-day format by making every match important. The Black Caps have revived their chances of a place in next year’s WTC final at Lord’s with an unbeaten 2-0 lead after winning their first Test series on Indian soil. “From our point of view there is a big carrot at the end in terms of the World Test Championship, so every game is really important for us,” Latham told reporters in Mumbai on the eve of the third Test.
India’s lead at the top of the WTC standings has shrunk after their two losses, with Australia in second place followed by Sri Lanka and New Zealand.
India have made it to two finals in the last two WTC seasons, losing to New Zealand in the inaugural edition and then to Australia last year.
Latham said winning the competition first “gives you a taste of what success feels like”.
“I think once you do it once, you want to do it again,” he added.
Mitchell Santner’s 13-wicket haul saw New Zealand defeat India on their own spin in the second Test in Pune last week.
But Latham said India were a “quality side” and two defeats did not make them a bad team overnight.
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