As Team India gears up for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final against New Zealand, head coach Gautam Gambhir has showered praise on all-rounder Axar Patel, highlighting his crucial role in the team’s batting order and his ability to showcase his talent on the global stage.
India will face New Zealand on March 9 at the Dubai International Stadium in what promises to be an electrifying encounter. India remains unbeaten in the tournament, while New Zealand, under Mitchell Santner’s captaincy, has also demonstrated solid performances with both bat and ball. This final rekindles memories of the 2000 ICC Champions Trophy final, which New Zealand won, and offers India a chance to avenge their past losses to the Blackcaps in the 2019 World Cup semifinal and the 2021 World Test Championship final.
India’s journey in the tournament has sparked some controversy due to their decision not to travel to Pakistan over security concerns, leading them to play all their matches in Dubai. Former cricketers like Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton have alleged that India gained an advantage by having reduced travel and familiar playing conditions. However, Team India remains unfazed by the criticism.
“We have answered it before — we don’t care what people say,” Gambhir stated during the post-match press conference on Tuesday. “Axar Patel is a quality player, and it’s important to give him the opportunity to keep performing and expressing his talent. His role at number five allows him to do exactly that.”
Axar’s promotion to the number five spot has been one of the standout decisions in the ongoing tournament. In the semi-final against Australia, he played a composed knock of 27 runs off 30 balls, featuring one boundary and one towering six. Across the tournament, Axar has accumulated 69 runs in two matches, proving his value in the middle order.
Gambhir also addressed the strategic decision to push KL Rahul down to the number six position, a move aimed at adding depth to the batting lineup. “In a team sport like cricket, numbers and batting positions don’t matter — impact does,” Gambhir explained. “KL has embraced his role at number six with dedication and performed it brilliantly. We want players who can create an impact and do what the team needs, and KL has done that without hesitation.”
As India prepares for the much-anticipated final, the team’s strategic adjustments and individual performances have set the stage for an exciting showdown against New Zealand. All eyes will be on Axar Patel and his ability to continue making a difference at a crucial juncture in the tournament.