WTC Final | India pick spinners R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja for finale against New Zealand

General view of the big screen during practice ahead of the ICC World Test Championship Final between India and New Zealand at Rose Bowl, Southampton (Image: Action Images via Reuters/John Sibley)

India will play spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin in a five-man bowling attack against New Zealand in the ICC World Test Championship final starting on June 18.

India surprised by announcing its team a day early on June 17, rather than wait as long as possible to try and confirm the weather forecast, which is for poor conditions at the spin-friendly Rose Bowl stadium in Southampton, United Kingdom.

But skipper Virat Kohli said the weather was irrelevant to them.

"For us, it is about covering all the bases and making sure that we take the strongest side we can be on the park, which gives us batting depth and gives us enough bowling options as well," Kohli said.

"We are quite clear in terms of what we want to do. The forecast is something we are not focused on. We are not going to think too much about what might change. We are not bothered with what the weather holds.”

LIVE Updates: WTC Final - IND vs NZ: Check ball-by-ball updates, full scorecard here

India's Playing XI

The Indian team picked five expected batsmen plus wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant. However, the five bowlers are playing together for the first time.

World's best offspinner R Ashwin and best left-arm spinner Jadeja are joining right-arm pacers Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami.

Jadeja and Shami missed the last home series against England due to a respective thumb and elbow injuries.

The Kiwis are expected to wait until the toss to reveal its side.

Read - WTC Final | India vs New Zealand: A quick guide to bring you up to speed

'Cricket doesn't stop for us'

While Black Caps skipper Kane Williamson called the inaugural final “a really exciting occasion” and "incredible,” Kohli downplayed the championship concept and didn’t believe the one-off final will crown the world's best test team.

“That is not the reality of the truth,” he said.

"(The final) is not going to reflect anything for people who really understand the game and who know exactly what has gone on over the last four or five years, and how the teams have fared. If you win this game, cricket does not stop for us; if you lose this game, cricket does not stop for us.

"For me, this is another test match that has to be played. These things are very exciting from the outside ... it sort of becomes do or die. For us as a team, we have been on a quest for excellence for a while now and we will continue to be on that path regardless of what happens in this game.”

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(With inputs from The Associated Press)