New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, speaking to India Today, said the result of the World Test Championship final is not a reflection of India’s quality and the depth they possess in the longest format of the game.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Kane Williamson led New Zealand to the World Test Championship triumph
• New Zealand beat India by 8 wickets in the inaugural WTC final
• Williamson said the WTC final not a reflection of India’s quality

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson heaped rich praise on India, saying the passion that Virat Kohli’s men bring to the game is a rewarding experience for the sport. Williamson said India might not have managed to win the World Test Championship final but that is not a reflection of the quality of the Asian giants.

Kane Williamson’s New Zealand defeated India to win the final of the inaugural edition of the WTC Final. In a rail-curtailed 6-day encounter in Southampton, New Zealand managed to bowl India out twice and seal an 8-wicket win.

New Zealand had headed into the WTC final on the back of a 1-0 Test series win against England while India entered the big final without any competitive red-ball action. New Zealand made full use of the advantage by troubling the India batsmen who managed only 217 and 170 in their two innings.

“In sport, when you have tournaments and finals, these are set up in a way to provide excitement and opportunity in a one-off game. It never really tells the whole picture. As we know, this Indian team is a formidable side. They truly are a great side,” Kane Williamson told India Today on Monday.

“We are proud to have achieved a win in this match but that takes nothing away from the quality that India had in their team, how strong they are year in and year out. I have got absolutely no doubt they will win plenty, plenty more.

“You feel the quality every time you come up against them. They are relentless with the ball. The seam bowling depth in the world is probably the best in the world. Their spinners, they are incredible bowlers and the batting perhaps need no mention, it’s world class. And the depth they have been creating.

“It’s the passion that the country brings to the sport. Although I play for a different country, I think we can all appreciate the passion they bring to the game. It’s rewarding for everybody that plays the game,” he added.

Notably, India captain Virat Kohli maintained that the one-off final is not a reflection of what India had one over the last 2 years. In the inaugural WTC cycle, India were the dominant side, winning everything at home and beating Australia in Australia. They finished on top of the WTC table to qualify for the historic final.

“So we are not too bothered by this result because we understand, as I said, as a Test side what we’ve done over the last three, four years, not just over the last 18 months but over the last three, four years,” Kohli had said.

“So this is not a measure of who we are as a team and the ability and the potential we have had for so many years now.