WTC Final: What Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson said ahead of final in Southampton

India and New Zealand players get along really well but, on the field, it is business at the end of the day, the Indian skipper Virat Kohli said on the eve of the World Test Championship (WTC) final on Thursday.

World's top two Test sides, India and New Zealand are set to face off in the maiden WTC final, starting Friday (June 18) at the Rose Bowl Stadium, Southampton.

The BlackCaps are coming on the back of a series win over England, which would have an ideal preparation for the summit clash. Meanwhile, India's match practice in the lead-up to the final was just the intra squad game between the two Indian teams, led by Kohli and vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane respectively.

While many believe that New Zealand have a slight edge going into the final, Team India is boosted with a world-class bowling attack that is more than capable of taking 20 wickets anywhere across the globe. Fast bowlers Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, and Jasprit Bumrah, along with the spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja are counted among the best bowlers in the present generation.

In a pre-match press conference on Thursday, Kohli said that he does not understand why the Kiwis are termed as the 'nice guys' of world cricket.

"I really don't understand this term that was just used – I don't think any other team has 'bad guys' in their team," Kohli was quoted by ICC, as saying in the virtual press conference.

"We get along very well off the field but when you step across the line, it's business at the end of the day and you need to deal with it accordingly. It's pretty serious stuff out there, it's not something that is fun and games and played in a very low voltage environment. This is a huge game, a huge Test match and we are certainly looking forward to the opportunity that we have been waiting for a few years now.

In Test cricket, we have performed well and deserve to be on that field playing the brand of cricket we've played in the past few years. 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," added Kohli.

Williamson: We are playing the best team in the world

Kohli's New Zealand counterpart, Williamson, meanwhile said that his wants his team to use the big platform to show the world how far they have come.

As recently as 2013, the Kiwis were ranked No. 8 in the ICC Test rankings. Eight years fast forward, Williamson and Co are set to go into the inaugural WTC final as the top-ranked Test side. With their recent 1-0 win over England, New Zealand replaced India as the No. 1 side in the longest format of the game.

Since the maiden WTC season began in 2019, the New Zealand side has only bettered with time and Williamson is thrilled for his side to bring out their best in Southampton against "the best team in the world."

"There's been a lot of growth over a period of time with so many challenges along the way every day but the team has bought into it and tried to move past those with a good attitude," explained the New Zealand skipper in an interview with ICC.

"There is a lot of hard work done over a long period of time to find ourselves here in the first final (of the WTC). It's exciting but for us, it's just focusing on continuing that growth and trying to keep committing to the parts of our game that give us the best chance and that's where I know the guys will be focusing on.

We're playing the best team in the world. It's a really exciting occasion. It's incredible. You have both teams coming to a neutral venue – it's unique, an exciting occasion that both teams are looking forward to starting. It's a one-off and in cricket, anything can happen. It will be widely followed and fans from more than just New Zealand and India are excited to watch it unfold. We're just fortunate to be involved in it," added Williamson, who is chasing to win his first ICC trophy, both as a player and national captain.

Williamson, who recently dropped to No. 2 in ICC Test rankings among batsmen, missed the second Test against England at Edgbaston, which the Kiwis won to seal the series 1-0. The skipper had to sit out due to an elbow injury but has confirmed that he is ready to play in the WTC final.

"Everybody is fit in the squad, which is a good thing. My elbow has improved, with the help of an injection a few days back, which has been nice. I'm still managing it but all in all, it's certainly showing signs of improvement, which is good," Williamson signed off.