Australia unchanged, opt to bowl first in World Cup final

India and Australia have both named unchanged teams for the World Cup final as Pat Cummins won the toss and raised eyebrows by electing to bowl first on a dry Ahmedabad pitch.

The Aussies stuck fat with Marnus Labuschagne at No.5, leaving out Marcus Stoinis as they did for their semi-final win over South Africa, while the hosts elected to stick with three quicks rather than going for the extra spinner in Ravichandran Ashwin.

In front of what is expected to be the biggest crowd ever for an ICC event, the decider pits the dominant tournament hosts, yet to be beaten in this campaign, against a resurgent Australian outfit who have won their last eight games.

Cummins' call comes as some surprise given they have generally fared better when setting totals rather than chasing in this World Cup.

"It looks like a bit of a dry wicket, so bowling during the day and back ourselves to chase whatever we need to," Cummins said after winning the toss, with his opposite number Rohit Sharma suggesting he would have batted first anyway.

"It's quite dewy here at night, it seems like this venue has gotten better and better to bat so hopefully it's the same today."

Australian players and coaches spent considerable time on match eve and match morning examining the Narendra Modi Stadium surface, with concerns understood to have emerged over its dryness at either end.

Ashwin has not played since India's opening match of the tournament, their six-wicket win over the Aussies in Chennai, but the fact he has not been recalled suggests India are not under the impression the track will be a raging turner.

Cummins knows his team will have little support during Sunday's spectacle at a venue that was rapidly filling with a sea of blue India jerseys as the first ball approached.

India's Prime Minister Modi, who gave his name to the ground, will be in attendance.

"I think you've got to embrace it. The crowd's obviously going to be very one-sided but in sport there's nothing more satisfying than hearing a big crowd go silent and that's the aim for us tomorrow," Cummins said on the eve of the decider.

"You've just got to embrace every part of it, every part of a final. Even in the lead-up there's going to be noise and more people and interest - you just can't get overwhelmed.

"You've got to be up for it, you've got to love it and just know whatever happens is fine, but you just want to finish the day with no regrets."

India have been formidable in their home conditions and are aiming to go unbeaten through a men's ODI World Cup since Australia did it in the 2007 Caribbean event.

Rohit said dealing with the expectation of 1.4 billion people is nothing new for his team.

"The biggest challenge for professional athletes is how you can put all this aside and focus on the work," he told reporters on Saturday.

"Along with me, all the other 10 players who will play on the ground tomorrow, their focus will be more on their work for the team, rather than thinking about 'this is the biggest moment of my life'.

"Of course, it is. There is no doubt. In the back of the mind it is there. You can't hide from that.

"But it's really important to remain calm in such situations because if you are calm and composed, then you can play your role as a team well. You can make good decisions in the pressure situation."

2023 ODI World Cup Finals

First semi-final: India beat New Zealand by 70 runs

Second semi-final: Australia beat South Africa by three wickets

November 19: Final, India v Australia, Ahmedabad (D/N), 7.30pm AEDT