Champions Trophy Final: 'Process-driven' New Zealand pose serious threat to India's pedigree

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Updated: Mar 9, 2025, 06:50 IST

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India face New Zealand in the Champions Trophy final in Dubai on Sunday, with the Kiwis having defeated India in their previous two meetings in the final of an ICC tournament. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli aim for their fourth ICC title, but Akaash Chopra warns of New Zealand's process-driven approach and their ability to present stiff challenges.

Champions Trophy Final: 'Process-driven' New Zealand pose serious threat to India's pedigree

India captain Rohit Sharma and New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner (Agency Photo)

In their two meetings in the final of an International Cricket Council (ICC) tournament, New Zealand got the better of India; but the current brand of white-ball cricket India have been playing under Rohit Sharma's captaincy is at a different level. However, former India opener Aakash Chopra warns that the "process-driven" Kiwis always manage to present a stiff challenge, which could happen in the Champions Trophy final as well on Sunday in Dubai.
In 2000 and 2021, New Zealand defeated India in the finals of the Champions Trophy (then known as ICC KnockOut) and World Test Championship, respectively. With that track record, the Kiwis will fancy their chances of a hat-trick; but the Indian team will be keen to win the fourth ICC title for their stalwarts Rohit and Virat Kohli.
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"Rohit and Kohli are vying for their fourth ICC title. I am trying to remind myself that we don't know when the next time (India in an ICC tournament final) will come," said Chopra on a Star Sports show.
Many believe that the final could be the swansong for the two icons, after the duo announced their retirement from T20Is following the T20 World Cup triumph last year. But there've been no such feelers from the Indian camp.

Chopra said India's prowess shows in their recent record in ICC tournaments.
"This is the third (ICC tournament final) for India in two years after 2023 (ODI World Cup), 2024 (T20 World Cup) and now 2025 (Champions Trophy). So India have played three finals in the last 18 months," Chopra recalled.
Besides, India also qualified for the final in the first two editions of the World Test Championship and missed out on another final narrowly in the 2023-25 cycle of the red-ball tournament.

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The former batter added that India have every reason to be wary of the threat Kiwis pose.
"The opponents India face are very process-driven (in) how they tackle problems posed to them...They have their roles well defined. It may not appear as a battle of equals against India's pedigree and experience, but New Zealand always punch above their weight," he concluded.

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TOI Sports Desk

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