New Delhi, March 8 (IANS) Despite India losing all four tosses in the 2025 Champions Trophy, Rohit Sharma’s team heads into the title clash against New Zealand as the only undefeated side in the eight-team competition. Lalchand Rajput, the former Indian cricketer, believes the outcome of the toss won’t matter much in the final as India’s batting has been clicking well.
“We are chasing well. I think in the final, it’s definitely the team that wins the toss. I presume they will bat first because chasing any total in a final will be a little bit of a concern. But now the Indian team is batting so well that I don’t think toss matters a lot,” said Rajput in an exclusive conversation with IANS from Dubai.
Rajput, currently UAE’s head coach, feels New Zealand are ahead of India as far as fielding is concerned. “Fielding is one of the things which both the teams have to really work on. But here, I would give the edge to New Zealand fielding because they are top class, especially Glenn Phillips and even Williamson, the catch he took in the last game.”
“Glenn Phillips, I think, his body is just like a rubber. He just dives, and then he takes some spectacular catches from the air. So, I would say that because of their fielding, they save 15-20 runs on the field and the catches. But our fielding is also very good. We have got brilliant fielders as well.”
“Look at Jadeja, Axar Patel, then Shreyas Iyer, Virat – don’t forget about him because he is one of the best fielders still. So, fielding will be the key. As you said rightly, runs saved means we have to score that many fewer runs. So, fielding will play a very, very important role in the final as well,” said Rajput.
This will be the second time that India and New Zealand will face off in a Champions Trophy final after the 2000 edition. New Zealand got the better of India in ICC knockout games – be it the 2019 ODI World Cup semifinal or the 2021 World Test Championship final. Rajput also gave two reasons that give the Mitchell Santner-led side a formidable opposition in the title clash.
“The final will always be a good encounter because final matches are always nail-biting finishes. The only team that can give us a run for our money is New Zealand because they have been doing well in the ICC trophies against us as well. Recently, yes, we have beaten them in the league stage. But I think the final will be a different ball game altogether.”
“The factors which I always think are: A. They have played one game here. So, they know the conditions a little bit better than when they played the first game and B. in India, New Zealand have beaten us in the Test series.”
“Yes, that was a different thing. But still, that confidence of beating India in India will always be on the back of the mind. So, I think those two factors will definitely give New Zealand a little bit of edge.”
A win for India in the final will give them their first 50-over silverware after 2013 and set things in motion for emerging victorious in the 2027 ODI World Cup. “Every win is always a win so that we take it to the next level. Now, because they all are preparing for the 2027 World Cup, there are players who will be looking to play in that World Cup as well.”
“If we win, that tells that still we have got so much passion to win because we never won the World Cup last time. It was so close to a game, and I think the last time we won was in 2011. So this will be very important for us to win in 2027 as well,” concluded Rajput.
–IANS
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