Team India will face New Zealand in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final on March 9 in Dubai. What are the key areas of concern for India ahead of the big clash?
Team India have reached their third consecutive ICC final under the leadership of Rohit Sharma. After falling short in the 2023 ODI World Cup final and claiming the 2024 World T20 title, they are now aiming for another triumph as they prepare to face New Zealand in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy final.
India remain unbeaten in the tournament, while New Zealand’s only loss came against the Men in Blue. However, the final promises to be a closely contested battle, with both teams evenly matched across all departments.
But do India have all their bases covered to go the distance? Should they fine-tune their strategy or tweak their team combinations to counter the Kiwi challenge?
There is always room for improvement. But first, let’s take a look at the positives India have showcased so far in the tournament.
Team India's Stable middle-order
Starting from Virat Kohli at No. 3, every batter following him has contributed to the team's cause and appears to be in good form. Kohli has registered a century and a fifty in four games, while Shreyas Iyer has displayed great intent in the middle order, scoring 45 or more on three occasions. Axar Patel has been a revelation at No. 5, playing crucial match-winning cameos. KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya demonstrated their exceptional finishing skills in the last game against Australia, and Ravindra Jadeja has hardly been required with the bat—further strengthening India's batting depth. Read More: CT 2025, SF 1, IND vs AUS: Pandya's late cameo, Rahul's quickfire 42* take India into final
Bowlers have exceeded expectations
Mohammed Shami has shaken off his initial rustiness after a year-long hiatus, making an immediate impact with a five-wicket haul in the first match. Hardik Pandya has provided solid support with the new ball, while Harshit Rana has delivered whenever given opportunities. The spin trio of Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel has been exceptional, and the inclusion of Varun Chakravarthy has further strengthened the spin attack. Overall, the bowling unit has exceeded expectations in the tournament so far.
However, there are a couple of concerns India must address before heading into the final match of the tournament.
Rohit Sharma’s indifferent form
Since his 119 against England in the second ODI at Cuttack, Rohit Sharma has not scored a single fifty in his last five games. His scores since that century read: 1, 41, 20, 15, and 28. He has been trying too hard to be aggressive from the very first ball, resulting in brief cameos of 10-20 deliveries before getting out. While this approach showcases India's intent to play fearless cricket, such short innings are not significantly benefiting the team.
What Rohit needs is to give himself a bit more time at the crease—bat a little longer and convert these starts into quickfire knocks of 50-70 runs at the same strike rate. This would provide India with a solid opening foundation. If he stays at the crease until at least the 15th over, he has the potential to score a match-winning century and take the game away from the opposition. With India’s strong batting depth, maintaining momentum beyond his innings won’t be an issue. These strong starts could add an extra 30-40 runs to India’s total, which could be the deciding factor on Dubai’s slowing pitches.
In the final, India will need Rohit to be a bit more cautious while still providing explosive starts. His 119 against England was a perfect example of blending caution with aggression, and India will be hoping for a similar knock from their skipper in the title clash. Read More: CT 2025: Spin quartet the way to go for India in knock outs too?
Stick to spin-heavy attack or bring in an extra pacer?
India currently rely on Mohammed Shami as their primary new-ball specialist, with all-rounder Hardik Pandya providing support. However, they could benefit from adding a pacer who can not only strike early but also bowl effectively in the middle overs to break partnerships and stall opposition momentum. In the semi-final against Australia, India got lucky with timely dismissals of set batters—had those partnerships flourished, they might have been chasing a target of 280-plus.
A bowler like Arshdeep Singh could be the ideal addition to the attack. His left-arm angle, clever changes of pace, and variations make him a threat not only in the powerplay but also during the middle overs, where India have struggled to pick up wickets in this tournament. If these issues aren’t addressed, New Zealand could take control of the final in that phase of the game.
India need to maintain an attacking mindset throughout, particularly in the middle overs, and Arshdeep could provide the perfect solution. Additionally, he would be a valuable asset in the death overs. Accommodating him would likely mean dropping one of the spinners—either Ravindra Jadeja or Kuldeep Yadav. India will have to decide whether to make this bold change or stick to the tried-and-tested formula that has delivered results so far.
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