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Ravi Shastri issued a word of caution ahead of Champions Trophy final between India and New Zealand.
India skipper Rohit Sharma and New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner at the toss (X/BCCI)
Ravi Shastri feels India are favourites to win ICC Champions Trophy 2025 but added that New Zealand have it in them to cause an upset. Despite India having an unbeaten record in the four matches so far including a group stage win against New Zealand, Shastri feels Blackcaps is the only team that can beat them.
“If there’s one team that can beat India, it’s New Zealand. So India start as favourites but only just,” Ravi Shastri was quoted as saying in The ICC Review.
“So India start as favourites but only just,” he said referring to the final, which will be a rematch of the 2000 Champions Trophy title clash, where New Zealand triumphed by four wickets in Nairobi.
The veteran player is not wrong in his assessment as New Zealand prevailed over India in the ICC knockouts in the past, having won three out of four games played between them over the years.
India stormed into the final with an all-win record, and defeated Australia in the semifinal. New Zealand, on the other hand, secured their spot in the final with a one-sided win over South Africa in the second semifinal in Lahore.
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Shastri picked three all-rounders – Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and Glenn Phillips – for the Player of the Match accolade in the summit clash.
“Player of the Match, I would go for an all-rounder. I’ll say Axar Patel or Ravindra Jadeja from India. From New Zealand, I think that Glenn Phillips has something up. He might just show flashes of brilliance in the field. He might come and smash a cameo of 40, 50 and probably surprise you by taking a wicket or two,” he said.
Shastri predicted that Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson and Rachin Ravindra would play pivotal roles on Sunday if their teams were to claim the title.
“Now (on) current form, Kohli. When these guys get hot and you let them get their first 10 runs, then they’re trouble. Whether it’s Williamson, whether it’s Kohli,” Shastri said.
“So from New Zealand, I would say Williamson. To an extent, Rachin Ravindra, he is a fabulous young player. But these guys when they smell the coffee and you let them, in a final, get to that 10-15, then they’re doubly dangerous.”
(With inputs from Agencies)
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