India and New Zealand would be crowned joint winners in case of a draw, or a tie, in the inaugural World Test Championship finale that kicks off in Southampton on June 18, International Cricket Council confirmed on Friday.
Additionally, a reserve day - after the five scheduled days of the Test - has been kept in case any playing time lost cannot be recovered through the normal provisions of catching up in regular Tests, which includes early starts and extra time allotment at the end of a day. However, the Reserve day will not be used if a positive outcome is not achieved after five full days of play, the ICC clarified.
The match referee will provide both teams regular updates on lost time, if any, and a final call on whether the reserve day is to be used will be taken at the start of the final hour on Day 5 of the Test. The much-anticipated contest between the world’s top-two ranked sides will also see the newly implemented tweaks to playing conditions into effect.
These include TV umpires checking short-runs in real time, the enhanced height margin for LBW referrals and the option for the fielding captain or the dismissed batsman to confirm with the on-field umpire whether a genuine attempt has been made to play the ball before deciding to opt for a player review.
India have left out all-rounder Hardik Pandya and opener Prithvi Shaw for the one-off Test, while RavindraJadeja and HanumaVihari come back after sustaining injuries in their team's famous come-from-behind series win in Australia earlier this year.
Southampton became a front-runner to stage the coveted final given its on-site accommodation facilities and was officially declared as the hosts in March.
