The group stage of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is now in its final stage. In this match being played between India and New Zealand at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, both the teams have already confirmed their place in the semi-finals. However, this match is very important because the team that wins today will top Group-A and will face Australia in the semi-finals. New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner won the toss and invited India to bat first.
But another big incident has happened in this match, which has proved to be an embarrassing record for Rohit Sharma. Indian captain Rohit Sharma has made a record of losing the toss for the 10th time in a row. This has made him the first captain in Indian cricket history to have the record of losing the most tosses in ODI cricket.
Rohit Sharma’s embarrassing record of losing the toss consecutively
This is a sad aspect for Rohit Sharma, as he has made a record of losing the toss 10 times so far. Earlier this record was in the name of Brian Lara and Peter Borren, who made the infamous record of losing the toss 12 and 11 times respectively. Now Rohit Sharma has come at number three in terms of losing the toss 10 times.
This figure can be disappointing for Indian cricket fans, because the toss is very important in cricket. Often the team winning the toss gets some advantage in the strategy of the game. However, this time both India and New Zealand have already confirmed their place in the semi-finals, but this trend of losing the toss has become a matter of concern for Rohit Sharma.
Changes in the teams of India and New Zealand
In this match, both the teams have made one change each in their playing XI. For New Zealand, Daryl Mitchell has been included in place of Devon Conway. At the same time, India has given a chance to Varun Chakraborty by excluding Harshit Rana. This is Varun Chakraborty’s first match which he is playing in the ICC ODI tournament. India already has no shortage of experienced bowlers in the spin attack, and the selection of Varun Chakraborty may be an indication that India wants to strengthen its bowling further.
India’s batting: How will Rohit Sharma and his team perform?
India have decided to bat first and under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma, the Indian team has come on the field to start their batting. After the very first over, the team’s score was 6 runs and Rohit Sharma started as expected. The pair of Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma started the innings, but the early dismissal of Shubman Gill has increased the pressure for the Indian team. Gill was LBW by Matt Henry after scoring just 2 runs and India lost the first wicket at a score of 15 runs.
Virat Kohli will now have to shoulder the responsibility of handling the innings. This is an important match for the Indian team and the team will need to score good runs in this match. If India scores big, it will get an opportunity to reach a better position in the semi-finals.
New Zealand bowling: Will they be able to stop India?
New Zealand have decided to bowl first and they have a strong bowling attack. Experienced bowlers like Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson and Mitchell Santner can give a tough fight to the Indian batsmen. Looking at the Dubai pitch, it can be assumed that spinners can get help here. Economical spin bowlers like Mitchell Santner and Rachin Ravindra can play an important role for New Zealand.
Apart from this, New Zealand’s fast bowling attack can also be very effective, especially when the Indian team is under pressure. If they manage to get the Indian batsmen out early, India’s score may remain low, which could be a danger signal for their semi-final.
Dubai ground and pitch effect
The pitch of Dubai International Cricket Stadium usually helps the bowlers, especially the spin bowlers. Batsmen may find it very difficult to score runs on the Dubai pitch, and hence this match can be a low-scoring one. Fast bowlers may get help in the beginning, but as the match progresses, the spinners may dominate. The Indian team will have to rely completely on its spin bowling, which includes Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja and Varun Chakraborty.
Road to the semi-finals: Who will face whom?
This match will decide the direction of the match in the semi-finals. If India wins this match, it will be in first place in Group-A and will get a chance to face Australia in the semi-finals. On the other hand, if New Zealand wins, it will be in first place and will have to face South Africa in the semi-finals.
Both India and New Zealand have strong teams, and after making their place in the semi-finals, both the teams will enter the field with full enthusiasm. But after the result of this match, it will be clear to both the teams who will be their next opponent, and they will prepare their strategy accordingly.
This match between India and New Zealand is very exciting and important. Rohit Sharma’s record of losing the toss continuously is a matter of concern on one hand, on the other hand, the Indian team will need to implement their batting and bowling combination correctly in this match. This match against New Zealand can prove to be a direction-setting one for India in the semi-finals. Both the teams are in the field with full preparation and the result of this match will definitely prove to be important for the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy 2025.
