March 9, 2025: Ahead of the highly anticipated Champions Trophy final between India and New Zealand at Dubai, Arshdeep Singh’s coach, Jaswant Rai, expressed confidence in India’s chances, citing the pitch conditions and the team’s overall strength as key factors that will work in their favor.
India is set to face New Zealand at the Dubai International Stadium, where both teams were part of Group A. During the group stage, India defeated New Zealand by 44 runs, with Varun Chakravarthy taking the spotlight after claiming a brilliant five-wicket haul, which earned him the Player of the Match award. India went through the group stage undefeated, securing six points, while New Zealand finished second with four points.
Rai shared his belief that India had the upper hand in the upcoming final, thanks to the favorable pitch conditions that would support the bowlers. “India has the upper hand in today’s match. The condition of the pitches is going to support Team India. We have excellent depth in both our batting and bowling. Our 6-7 players are match-winners, and our bowlers have been performing exceptionally well. I am sure India is easily going to win,” Rai said.
Rai also acknowledged the threat posed by New Zealand’s top players, Kane Williamson and Rachin Ravindra, who are known for their ability to play spin well. Both players have experience on such pitches due to their IPL stints. However, Rai firmly believes India’s spin strength gives them an edge. “In New Zealand, they have two players, Kane Williamson and Rachin, who play spin well. They play IPL, so they have experience with these pitches. But we have four spinners—Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja—who have been bowling well. If India scores 275-280 runs, it will be a winning total,” he added.
India’s batting depth, with players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Shreyas Iyer, and others, combined with their potent spin attack, provides them with a well-rounded edge. Rai also pointed out the importance of Axar Patel’s recent promotion in the batting order, which has seen him contribute valuable runs, adding more strength to India’s batting lineup.
Meanwhile, Bronze Medallist Boxer Manisha Moun also shared her thoughts on the final, saying she wanted India to win and was hopeful for a big performance from Virat Kohli. “I want to see India winning the match… The Indian team is very confident, and Virat Kohli will hopefully play very well,” Moun remarked.
As both teams prepare for the grand final, the excitement is building, and expectations are high for India to continue their dominance and clinch their second consecutive Champions Trophy title.