WTC final: Ishant joins Shami and Bumrah as India name playing XI

Ishant Sharma and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja were named as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Thursday announced the playing XI for World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand. Seasoned off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin will lead the spin department while Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, and Ishant will form the pace battery for the Virat Kohli-led side.

Rishabh Pant will be donning the wicket-keeping gloves for India while Shubman Gill will open with star batsman Rohit Sharma in the WTC final. Cheteshwar Pujara, skipper Kohli and vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane form a solid middle order as India gears up for the high octane clash on Friday.

"Here's #TeamIndia's Playing XI for the #WTC21 Final," the BCCI tweeted. India playing XI for WTC final: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammad Shami.

The winners of the much-awaited WTC final between India and New Zealand will take home a purse of USD 1.6 million along with the ICC Test Championship Mace. The losing team will get USD 800,000 for finishing second in the nine-team competition, which was played over a near two-year cycle, adding context to Test cricket and to crown the first official world champions in the longest format of the game.