Meanwhile, India's playing XI was announced on Thursday, with Virat Kohli's team supporting both of their spinners, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. Many cricket gurus, including Sunil Gavaskar and Dale Steyn, predicted that India will change their final XI because the game would be played in cloudy circumstances.
India’s Playing XI: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah.
New Zealand’s Playing XI: Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson(c), Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, BJ Watling(w), Colin de Grandhomme, Kyle Jamieson, Neil Wagner, Tim Southee, Trent Boult
“We would have probably bowled first as well,” Virat Kohli remarked at the toss. “Our strength, however, has always been our ability to score runs on the board. Runs on the board, however many, are an advantage in a major game. As you can see from our team's makeup, the balance is such that we are prepared for any situation. In Test cricket, we've been doing quite well. For us, this is merely a test match in which we must be professional and perform well.” Virat said.
“We'll bowl first,” Kane Williamson stated at the toss. “With the weather like it is, we can make the most of it. Given the cool weather, the wicket will remain steady throughout the game. I've decided to go with four frontline seamers. There isn't a spinner. A fantastic opportunity and a fantastic challenge against the best squad in the world.”
“Guys are excited to be competing in a WTC final for the first time. For us, he's a major player and a true leader in our group (Watling). It was a fantastic opportunity for him to play his final game. It's fantastic to be in this position. We were fortunate to be here after two years of attempting to qualify.” Kane Williamson concluded.