WTC Final Toss: India vs New Zealand match players list & umpires

After a two-year journey and a one-day rain delay, India and New Zealand finally got the World Test Championship (WTC) final underway at the Hampshire Bowl in Southampton on Friday (June 18).

New Zealand captain Kane Williamson won the toss and put India in to bat first on a surface which had its grass cover cut at the eleventh hour. Nevertheless, the Kiwis will be bowling first under overcast conditions.

Notably, while many experts suggested changes to India's playing XI which was announced on June 17, the WTC table-toppers went in with the same three pacers and the spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.

New Zealand, on the other hand, announced their line-up at the toss. They wanted to base their combination on the conditions on offer, and the murky Southampton weather mandated the Kiwis to field a four-pronged seam attack and an all-rounder in Colin de Grandhomme.

The No. 1 ranked side in Test cricket was also bolstered by the return of captain Kane Williamson and wicketkeeper-batsman BJ Watling, both of whom missed the second Test against England through elbow and back injuries respectively.

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India vs New Zealand – WTC Final Playing 11

India playing 11: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah

India squad: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Hanuma Vihari, Umesh Yadav, Wriddhiman Saha

New Zealand playing 11: Devon Conway, Tom Latham, Kane Williamson (c), Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, BJ Watling (wk), Colin de Grandhomme, Kyle Jamieson, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult

New Zealand squad: Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson (c), Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, BJ Watling (wk), Colin de Grandhomme, Ajaz Patel, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Trent Boult, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Will Young, Tom Blundell

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India vs New Zealand – WTC Final Umpire

On-field umpires: Michael Gough, Richard Illingworth

3rd umpire: Richard Kettleborough

Match referee: Chris Broad