‘Best batting line-up that I have been part of’, says Shubman Gill ahead of final

As India prepares to face New Zealand in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, vice-captain Shubman Gill has hailed the current batting line-up as the best he has ever been part of in his career.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Gill praised the presence of stalwarts like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, along with a deep and in-form middle order that allows the top-order batters to play more freely.

“I think this is the best batting lineup that I have personally been a part of. Rohit and Virat are all-time one-day greats. Rohit is one of the best white-ball openers, and Virat is arguably the best ODI batsman ever,” Gill said.

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He further emphasised the depth in India’s batting, crediting the presence of Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, and Ravindra Jadeja for reducing pressure on the top order.

“In terms of batting, we have Shreyas in great form, KL, Hardik, and Jaddu, which gives us depth. This allows the top-order players to be more aggressive because we have strong backup options,” he added.

Reflecting on past challenges, Gill admitted that India’s top order used to face additional pressure due to the lack of batting depth. However, he believes the current squad has successfully addressed this issue.

“This was something we struggled with in the past. There wasn’t enough batting depth, which meant added pressure on the top order to bat long. But now, we have more freedom to play our natural game,” he explained.

With India looking to secure another ICC title, all eyes will be on how they tackle New Zealand in this high-stakes final.

A chance for redemption

India remains unbeaten in the tournament, while New Zealand has showcased solid performances under Mitchell Santner’s leadership. The clash serves as an opportunity for India to avenge past losses to the Kiwis, including the 2019 ODI World Cup semi-final and the 2021 World Test Championship final.

In their previous encounter last week, India secured a 44-run win over New Zealand, posting 249 runs before bowling the Black Caps out for 205 in 46 overs. Shreyas Iyer top-scored for India with 79 off 98 balls, while Matt Henry starred for New Zealand with 5/42. India’s spin attack dominated, with Varun Chakravarthy delivering a match-winning performance of 5/42 in just his second ODI.

Squads:

India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh.

New Zealand: Will Young, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Tom Latham (wk), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (c), Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, William O’Rourke, Daryl Mitchell, Nathan Smith, Mark Chapman, Jacob Duffy.

(With inputs from agencies)