Tim Southee proved a menace in both games and comes into the final showdown with 51 wickets at 20.66 in the WTC, with three five-wicket hauls and a six-for against England last time out. 

But despite the veteran Kiwi pacer being in superb form, he acknowledged that the New Zealand bowling attack will have little room for error against India’s dynamic batting line-up. 

“It’s an exciting batting line-up, the mix of experienced guys and a couple of young guys who have come in and played with that freedom and that excitement that they have,” he said. 

“Rohit Sharma’s a tremendous player in all three formats and personally a guy I like watching bat, his style and the way he can take a game away from the opposition is great to watch. 

“But I know as a bowling group that it’s a dangerous line-up throughout, Rohit is only one of many very good batters in this Indian batting line-up that we have to be on top of our game against.” 

On India’s skipper, he added: “As a player, you like to test yourself against the best and Virat [Kohli] is one of the best to play the game, definitely one of the modern-day greats but it’s not only him. 

“We know there are so many dangerous players in this Indian batting line-up so we’re going to have to be on top of our game as a bowling unit and we know how dangerous they can be.” 

ICC Media Release