Standing up here feels surreal: Man of the Match Kyle Jamieson after winning the WTC Final

Kyle Jamieson was short of words, he stuttered a bit, maybe in search of words for what he had achieved in such a young career of his. becoming Man of the Match in the greatest Test match ever to be played in the game of cricket is after all no mean feat. But when he did speak, his voice was as confident as his spell in the first innings.

“To have something of this context in Test cricket is massive, and to be standing up here is surreal,” said the six-foot eight-inch framed man who swings the ball like a feather. Jamieson, who picked up his fifth five-wicket haul in only his eighth Test, was pleased with his skipper showing great confidence in him. “It was nice to get the ball first up and to play a part, I guess,” he said on his first innings performance while speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony at Southampton.

While in the first innings it was his 5-31 that lifted the team, in the second innings, he did an even exceptional job, removing the Indian skipper Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara in the first hour of play on the last day of the match to give his team the advantage.

“We knew we had a big first hour, and just to see how things panned out. We were hoping they might pan out our way if we put the ball in the right place, but we knew this is a quality Indian team as well,’ he said.

Modesty is the name of the game it seems in New Zealand. Even the 26-year-old Jameison was modest enough to credit his senior fast bowlers Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Neil Wagner for all his achievements “The work that Tim, Trent, Wags do, I just ride in on the back of that,” he said.

Talking about removing the opposition skipper and arguably the best batsman in the world right now, Virat Kohli in both the innings, Jamieson said he was thrilled to have done that.

Discover more

The way this team fought, it’s something I’ll never forget: Ross Taylor on winning WTC Final

Ross Taylor has been part of the New Zealand side which lost the semi-final in the 2007 ODI World Cup, of the side which lost the semi-final once again in the 2007 T20 World Cup, in 2011 ODI World Cup, 2015 World Cup Final and the latest a boundaries count loss in the 2019 World Cup Final. It was finally redemption day for him and his team New Zealand when they won the inaugural World Test Championship at Hampshire Bowl, Southampton. For Taylor, it was the winning mentality and never give up attitude of the team that got them to their first World title. Talking in an interview post-match, the 37-year-old said, “A lot of rain but the way the team fought from day one, to be out there in a crucial situation for a little bit, it's something I'll never forget.” Talking about the feeling of finally being World Champion, Taylor, who completed 18,000 runs in international cricket in this very match said, “Still sinking in but it's been a couple of years coming. This would have to be the highlight of my career.” Taylor, who made his Test debut in 2007 and was made the skipper of the Test team and then removed unceremoniously just before the now ‘iconic’ Capetown Test which led to the reconstruction of the is team, maybe from their own ‘Ashes’ of a sort, couldn’t be happier to win a World title with this team. “At the start of my career, I felt we probably didn't have the side to do this. But am sure there are a few Kiwis waking up who will be very proud,” said Taylor. The first person of Samoan descent to represent a New Zealand cricket team, Taylor felt that this Trophy more than made up for the World Cup loss two years ago. “There was a lot of pressure, it was nice to be standing up to it. 2019 World Cup was something that was very tough for us at the time, but this makes up for that. Over time, it'll sink in a little more,” he said before signing off. Taylor played an important knock in the second innings when New Zealand chased down 139. Taylor remained unbeaten on 47 and fittingly hit the winning four. He added unbeaten 96 runs for the fourth wicket alongside skipper Kane Williamson having come at a troubling situation with New Zealand at 44-2 and Ravichandran Ashwin firing all cylinders.

WTC Final | 'Ecstatic' BJ Watling walks away from international cricket with 'special' achievement

New Zealand wicketkeeper-batsman BJ Watling had well in advance announced the plans of hanging his boots after the tour of England which were to end with the World Test Championship final against India. As New Zealand humbled India to clinch the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship, Watling did not hide his ‘ecstatic’ feeling while taking to the official broadcaster Star Sports. He said that the target of 139 runs could well have been a trickier target if not for the ‘two of our greatest’ in Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor, who put on an unbeaten partnership to take the Blackcaps over the finishing line. He also said that the finish of his career with a world champions New Zealand side was not something that he did ‘imagine’ while starting off his international career. "Ecstatic. Been a lot of hard work over a long period of time as a group. To get over the line is special. Chasing a total like that on a wicket that was offering a bit, was special from two of our greatest. No, I didn't imagine I'd end as a World Test Champion,” Watling said. He thanked his family and friends, especially his mother, and wife for standing by him in tough times throughout a ‘hell of a journey.’ He also thanked his New Zealand mates of a ‘special’ group that carried the team to a great finish in the World Test Championship final against India. My family back home, my mum has stood up for me in tough times, my wife Jess and the two boys - a thank you to all of them. It's been a hell of a journey. Huge support over the years from my mates. We've got a special group, this is a great way to finish,” Watling concluded. Watling made his Test debut against Pakistan in 2009 and went on to become one of the longest-serving gloveman for the Blackcaps with 74 appearances in the longest format.

WTC Final | Virat Kohli defends playing two spinners, reiterates support for World Test Championship

India skipper Virat Kohli said that the Indian team management made a ‘unanimous’ decision of naming a playing XI that had two spinners in it as they believed it was the ‘best-balanced team’ they could have fielded to cover all the bases against New Zealand. He said that India could have fielded a different playing XI only if they have had the luxury of a fast-bowling all-rounder but they backed their players to produce goods in the big game. Pointing out the factors that found his side come up short against a relentless Blackcaps side, Kohli said that the rain break towards the end of the second day’s play and a delayed start on the next day derailed the momentum that India were riding on having lots just three wickets. Former England captain Michael Atherton, who was one of the commentators and the host of the post-presentation ceremony, pressed Kohli on the relevance of the World Test Championship and its impact on the overall state of the longest format of the game. Kohli reiterated his support for the global championship in Test cricket and said that it will energise the competitions among teams which will lead to a lack of ‘boring’ Tests as teams will be in pursuit of results.

Tim Southee relishes 'rewarding' World Test Championship triumph after years of hard work

One of the chief architects of New Zealand’s rise to the top of the world in Test cricket, Tim Southee called winning the World Test Championship final a ‘rewarding’ result for all the hard work put in by the side over the last couple of years. “Yes, sounds pretty good. Two years ago we started this journey and winning the WTC is regarding all the hard work,” Southee told official broadcaster Star Sports. Pointing out what made New Zealand a competitive side in the WTC cycle that began in 2019, Southee said that the Blackcaps made a habit of not giving up at any stage, and the team management adopted a consistency in team selection while players repaid the faith with consistency in performances. “I think consistency is the key. Consistency through selection, consistency through performances, never giving up. Satisfying to be able to sit back and see what we have achieved in the last two years. Pretty special feeling this,” Southee added. New Zealand were given a target of 139 runs which could have been a tricky target to chase if not for the experience of Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson and Southee said that the duo settled things down in the New Zealand dressing room. “Yes, the change room is a lot calmer with two experienced guys out there. Once they got in, it was probably the longest 140 runs we have ever experienced but ut was nice to have two experienced guys in the middle to do the job,” Southee said. Southee also credited BJ Watling for an outstanding career at the international level and said that his behaviour throughout the course of his career epitomises New Zealand’s team culture. "His behaviour best sums up what this team means for and one of our champion bloke, champion cricketer going on a high,” Southee reckoned. New Zealand’s win over India in the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship will serve as a great sense of pride among their fans after a heartbreaking loss in the final of the ODI World Cup two years back.