New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson has won the toss and has opted to bowl first against India in the much-awaited World Test Championship final at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton on Saturday. The final has been delayed by a day as rain washed out the first day on Friday.
India has retained its playing eleven as announced before, while the New Zealand side has no spinners. Williamson's team has decided to come in with four specialist fast bowlers with Colin de Grandhomme as the fifth bowling option.
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Meanwhile, Team India is wearing black armbands in remembrance of sprint legend Milkha Singh who passed away on Friday night due to post-COVID complications.
With Friday being rained out, it has been decided to bring in the reserve day into the equation. As per ICC playing conditions guidelines for the WTC final, if required the reserve sixth day can now come into effect with six hours of play lost on Day 1 itself.
While there has been talk about Southampton being the preferred venue, it has been learnt that BCCI was taken into confidence by both the ICC and England and Wales Cricket Board before they finalised the venue which also has a five-star facility within the premises, helping create a tight bio-secure bubble.
India Playing XI
Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah
New Zealand 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
