The final match of the Champions Trophy 2025 will be played between India and New Zealand on Sunday. While both teams' strategies will be under scrutiny, the real battle will be between the Indian spinners and the Kiwi batsmen.
Sports News: The final match of the Champions Trophy 2025 will be played between India and New Zealand on Sunday. While both teams' strategies will be under scrutiny, the real battle will be between the Indian spinners and the Kiwi batsmen. India has been undefeated in the tournament so far and will be brimming with confidence after defeating New Zealand in the group stage. Meanwhile, New Zealand will attempt to repeat history, having won the Champions Trophy in 2000 by defeating India.
Stopping Rachin-Williamson: A Major Challenge
India's biggest challenge will be to dismiss New Zealand's captain Kane Williamson and young batsman Rachin Ravindra early. Williamson has scored 189 runs at an average of 47.25 in the tournament so far, while Rachin Ravindra has showcased excellent form, smashing two centuries and accumulating 226 runs in three innings.
In the group match against India, Rachin was dismissed by Hardik Pandya for only 6 runs, but he has batted brilliantly in other matches. On the other hand, Williamson scored 81 runs against India, and New Zealand was in a b position as long as he was at the crease. Therefore, the Indian bowlers will need to contain both these batsmen.
India's Spin Strategy Will Be Crucial
The Dubai pitch has been helpful to spinners, so India might again field four spinners. The spin quartet of Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, and Varun Chakravarthy could pose a significant challenge to the Kiwi batsmen. Spinners have played a crucial role in India's success in this tournament, and their performance will be vital in the final.
New Zealand's batsmen have had a mixed performance against Indian spinners. Apart from captain Mitchell Santner, their other spinners haven't been very effective. Michael Bracewell and Rachin Ravindra have proven expensive, while Glenn Phillips didn't bowl against India. Therefore, New Zealand's bowling strategy will also be interesting to watch.
The onus will be on Gill, Virat, and Shreyas
Regarding India's batting, a significant responsibility rests on Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, and Shreyas Iyer. Gill's form was excellent in the initial matches, but he hasn't been as impactful in the last two games. Virat Kohli scored an unbeaten century against Pakistan, and another b innings is expected from him in the final.
Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul can also play key roles in the middle order. Meanwhile, captain Rohit Sharma's aggressive batting can provide a b start for the team. Hardik Pandya can also impact the game with both bat and ball, as he demonstrated in the previous match.
Henry's Injury a Concern for New Zealand
New Zealand's fast bowler Matt Henry's injury remains a concern. Henry took five wickets against India in the last match, but his participation is now doubtful. In his absence, Nathan Smith might get an opportunity. New Zealand also has Daryl Mitchell and Mark Chapman as options, but the team management will make the final decision on their selection.
What do the experts say?
New Zealand coach Gary Stead acknowledged that the Indian spin attack will be challenging. He said, "India's all-round spin attack is excellent, and we will need a specific strategy to counter it. Kane Williamson will be crucial for us as he has performed exceptionally well against spinners."
On the other hand, Indian captain Rohit Sharma believes his team is balanced and they will aim to play aggressive cricket in the final. He said, "We have performed brilliantly throughout the tournament and want to continue this in the final. We can play in any situation, and that's our biggest strength."
Probable Playing XI for both teams
India: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, and Mohammed Shami.
New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (captain), Rachin Ravindra, Michael Bracewell, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Will Young, Glenn Phillips, Kane Williamson, Will Young, Kyle Jamieson, and Matt Henry/Mark Chapman.
