Champions Trophy 2025 Final: Virat Kohli vs Mitchell Santner - The Ultimate Game-Defining Battle

March 9, 202: 5As Team India faces off against New Zealand in the ICC Champions Trophy final, one of the key match-ups that could shape the outcome of the game is the contest between India’s star batter Virat Kohli and New Zealand’s skipper Mitchell Santner. Both players have been in stellar form throughout the CT 2025 campaign, and their individual battle is set to play a significant role in determining the fate of the final.

Virat Kohli has been exceptional with the bat, amassing 217 runs in the tournament at an average of over 72, including a century and a fifty. His consistency in the middle order has been a major factor in India’s progress to the final. On the other hand, Mitchell Santner has been a standout performer with the ball for New Zealand, taking seven wickets in the tournament at an average of 27.71, with his best bowling figures being 3/43.

The match-up between Kohli and Santner has been highly even in recent times. In last year’s Test series, Santner troubled Kohli significantly, helping New Zealand secure a series win in India. However, Kohli has shown that he has the ability to counter Santner’s spin, as evidenced by his performances against him in previous encounters.

According to statistics from ESPNCricinfo, Kohli and Santner have faced each other in 16 innings. In these encounters, Kohli has managed to score 180 runs off 259 balls at an average of 60.00, with a strike rate of 69.49. While he has been dismissed just three times by Santner, Kohli has managed to hit five boundaries and two sixes off the left-arm spinner. This record shows that while Santner has posed a challenge, Kohli has been able to get the better of him more often than not.

However, since 2020, left-arm spinners have presented a significant challenge for Virat Kohli. Against left-arm spinners, he has scored 372 runs in 26 innings at an average of 33.81, being dismissed 11 times. His strike rate against left-arm spinners is just 75.15, with only 15 fours and four sixes in that period. This pattern could be an area of concern for Kohli as Santner, one of the best left-arm spinners in the world, looks to exploit this weakness.

As the two teams prepare for the final, the battle between Kohli and Santner will be one to watch. Will Virat Kohli overcome his challenges against left-arm spin and take India to victory, or will Santner’s sharp bowling hold him in check and pave the way for a New Zealand win?

Both players will undoubtedly give it their all, making this mini-battle one of the most anticipated match-ups of the tournament.

Squads:

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

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