WTC Final | We will try our best to carry on our form against India, admits BJ Watling
Ahead of his final appearance for New Zealand, BJ Watling has admitted that the BlackCaps will try to their level best to carry forward their golden-form against India in the WTC Final. Watling, while expressing his excitement, insisted that he would take the WTC clash like another Test.
Unlike his teammates, BJ Watling would walkout against India, starting Friday, with a bigger purpose - of exiting the cricketing stage with a win in the World Test Championship final. However, going into the final, Watling suffered an injury to his back, which ruled him out of the second Test against England. Although Watling would return against India, he would have to be on-point from the word go against the strong Indian team.
The experienced wicketkeeper admitted that the BlackCaps will try their level best to carry on their golden form to the final against India. New Zealand have remained unbeaten since their loss at the hands of Australia, with wins over India, West Indies and Pakistan.
"It's obviously a massive opportunity to win a title, but I think what we've been doing leading into this, winning the games at home this summer, and then obviously winning a Test series against England, it's certainly been fantastic," Watling said, reported India Today.
"We'll try and do our best and try to carry on the form that we've been playing in for a reasonably long period," Watling added.
The keeper, who would be playing his 75th Test, admitted that he is certainly pumped to be in the final and added that the team would try their level best to win the Test match.
"I'm just looking forward to playing another test match. It is an exciting one, and I'm certainly pretty pumped to be in the final. I'm just going into it how I do with every other test, going through the processes of trying to win a test match," the 35-year-old added,
While Watling has been injury-free for most parts of his cricketing career, a rare injury concern before the final made the management sweat over his fitness. However, Watling has returned and, rightfully, will take over the gloves from Tom Blundell, who is expected to replace the departing keeper after the final.
"I think as a cricketer you have the odd niggle sometimes. The back, it's been pretty good to be fair for most of my career. There's been a couple of instances when it's just played up a bit, but I think you learn how to manage those types of injuries, and I'm thankful that I haven't been majorly injured over my time."