IND vs NZ final predicted XIs: Will four spinners script another ICC triumph?

India and New Zealand are set to lock horns in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 on Sunday, March 9 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai. The Men in Blue are coming into the summit clash having beaten the World Champions Australia by four wickets in the semi-final. The Rohit Sharma-led side is on a winning juggernaut in the tournament, having won four back-to-back matches.

They topped Group A, beating Bangladesh, Pakistan and New Zealand in consecutive matches and are now looking favourites to clinch the title. On the other hand, New Zealand secured their berth in the final with a 50-run win over the Proteas in the second semi-final. The Mitchell Santner-led side has fired collectively in the tournament so far and will look to give India a run for their money in the mega clash as well.

Champions Trophy: Full Coverage

Ahead of the final, the two teams will be scratching their heads as they think about selecting their ideal playing XI in the all-important encounter. The Men in Blue will deliberate if their four-spinners attack is the way to go in the mega-clash. The inclusion of Varun Chakravarthy in the last group game against New Zealand turned out to be the decisive factor, as his maiden five-wicket haul scripted a 44-run win for India.

Hence, there’s a high chance that India will go into the final with the same team which played the semi-final. On the other hand, New Zealand are dealing with a big blow following an injury to their fast bowler, Matt Henry. Kiwi skipper Mitchell Santner hasn’t ruled him out of the final yet. However, if he fails to make the cut, it will leave New Zealand with massive shoes to fill as Henry picked up a five-wicket haul in the last encounter.

India vs New Zealand Predicted Playing XI

India’s Predicted XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Varun Chakaravarthy.

New Zealand Predicted XI: Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson, Tom Latham(wk), Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner(c), Kyle Jamieson, William ORourke, Matt Henry/Nathan Smith