WTC Finals: I worry that India may fall behind New Zealand in terms of preparation, says Kevin Pietersen

India may be behind New Zealand in their preparations for the World Test Championship (WTC) final because they failed to play a single warm-up game in England before the match, former England captain Kevin Pietersen has claimed. New Zealand arrived in the country in June and beat England in a two-test series ahead of the historic one-off test that starts on Friday at the Ageas Bowl.

“New Zealand have had fantastic preparation for this World Test Championship final. They’ve played two Test matches against England, and basically outplayed them in both. You can’t prepare for a Test match in England having been involved in an IPL that was called off a month ago and with no proper warm-up matches at all,” Pietersen wrote in his blog for Betway Insider.

“Their (New Zealand’s) pace bowling against England was fantastic Tim Southee at Lord’s and then Matt Henry, who probably won’t even play in this match, at Edgbaston. You only get one or two chances in a one-off Test match, and I fear that India may be behind on their preparation,” Pietersen added.

Earlier, former India captain and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly also said that New Zealand have an advantage because of the 1-0 win they secured in the two-Test series.

“New Zealand will have a slight advantage because they have played in these conditions and beat England in their own backyard, which is not easy at all. This was a big series for NZ, they just look so solid. New Zealand won the 2nd Test at Edgbaston without Kane Williamson, Kyle Jamieson and Tim Southee, who have been big players for them in the WTC,” Ganguly told Aaj Tak.