Sometimes being a little under-prepared can work in your favour - R Sridhar talks about India's lack of practice ahead of WTC final

India is gearing up for a mouth-watering summit clash of the World Test Championship against New Zealand. However, with several COVID related restrictions, it is unclear whether the Indian team will be allowed to train ahead of the marquee clash in Southampton.

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If they are not allowed to do so, Virat Kohli's men will go into the final slightly underprepared. New Zealand, on the other hand, will be fresh from a Test series against England. Talking about the same, India's bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar feel that India have enough experience of the English conditions and it won't matter much to them, adding that they eitherways have no choice.

"I don't think we have a choice," NDTV quoted R Sridhar

"We would like to make the most of what we get because it all depends on how many days of hard or soft quarantine we are going to have, when we are going to land and if at all getting a practice game so I don't think we have a choice," he added.

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Sridhar further added that Indian players are capable of adapting to any situation.

"It's time to be mentally smart, we have a very experienced team going into going to the final. Each guy is capable of adapting to the situation. They have played against New Zealand and played in England.

"So, I think that experience will count and we will have to come to the fore, because we really can't plan as to how many sessions we want because we only have to take what is given to us," he said.

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He further added that lack of preparations can sometimes work in the player's favour as he is more aware and focused.

"Sometimes when you're a little under-prepared, you tend to focus more and maybe that will bring the best out of us as well, so that that is the kind of mindset we are going in with," said Sridhar.

Most of the Indian states are under lockdown and the players too are confined to their houses. Indian bowling coach Bharat Arun revealed that the players have been given specific tasks while they are at home. However, he didn't reveal the nature of the tasks.

"They have been given specific roles as to what they need to do. But yes, you are restricted because they cannot go out, once we regroup, then we'll have to see how best we can plan," said the bowling coach.

Arun further opined that since New Zealand would have already played two Tests against England, they will go into the match with slight advantage.

"See, it is definitely an advantage for them...getting used to English conditions and things like that. but then we'll have to recall (our past experience) in England...," he said.

"...you know, bring about the experience of the players and the support staff, to make our plans, the scheduling is such that this is what it is. You have to work around that," he said.

Talking about India's strategies for the WTC final, Arun said that their plans will be based on what they see in the England vs New Zealand series.

"England is playing New Zealand before us. So that will give us a good insight into how the New Zealanders are playing in English conditions, and also how the English men are playing right now.

"The present form is extremely important for us to plan and the quarantine period in England would give us enough time to take into consideration all the factors and make plans accordingly," he said.

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