'For Kohli's sake, I hope they lose the toss': Manjrekar explains why losing coin toss is 'ideal' for India in WTC final

Former India batsman and renowned commentator Sanjay Manjrekar feels it would be 'ideal' for India if they lose the toss in the final of the World Test Championship against New Zealand starting in Southampton on Friday. Contrary to the common consensus that teams which win the toss start the match with an advantage, Manjrekar feels it won't really be a disadvantage for India if they are to loss the coin toss at The Ageas Bowl.

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"The toss is an interesting thing. Players, when they go for the toss and there are overcast conditions and expect it to be there for the first couple of hours. They look at the pitch that has a nice, healthy cover of grass. No pitch in England would be devoid of grass. Some would be dry but there would be grass. So when you look at the overcast conditions, you're tempted to bowl first, especially a team like India, with no match practice and batting being a little vulnerable," Manjrekar said on ESPNCricinfo.

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In the last six Tests at Southampton, five times has a captain opted to bat after winning the toss. On three out of those five occasions, the team batting first have won, while no side has won a Test batting second at the Ageas Bowl. Depending on the fact that India are coming into the WTC final on the back of no match practice, Manjrekar reckons if Virat Kohli is to lose the toss, it won't prove to be a 'deciding factor'

"I don't think toss is going to be crucial. If you win the toss and bat really well, that's a different matter. But if India lose, that will be ideal for them because they'd want to do the right thing and bat first. So I just hope for Virat Kohli's sake that they lose the toss. Of late, in Test cricket, losing tosses have won plenty of matches so it's not the deciding factor," Manjrekar pointed out.