Champions Trophy: KL Rahul Praises India's 'Winning Habit'

March 2, 2025: As India gears up for their final group-stage match against New Zealand in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025 at the Dubai International Stadium, wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul has expressed his satisfaction with the team's performance so far.

Having witnessed the Men in Blue win their opening two matches of the competition – against Bangladesh and arch-rivals Pakistan – from behind the stumps, Rahul described it as "great" to see his team excel. Both victories came by six wickets, with India dominating their opponents in Dubai.

"The view from behind the stumps has been great, and from the front, it's quite satisfactory. But KL Rahul has this and a lot more to offer. This Sunday, we meet familiar foes. Uh, let's call them friends. Let's stick to opponents, and let's get going," said KL Rahul in a video posted by the official Indian Cricket Team Instagram account.

Rahul, who has seamlessly embraced his role as a wicketkeeper-batter, has been in excellent form during the Champions Trophy. In the opener against Bangladesh, he played a composed knock of 41* off 47 deliveries, which included a four and two sixes.

The 32-year-old cricketer also took the opportunity to praise his team's fielding efforts, comparing them to the efficiency of a "Formula 1 pit crew." "It's great to make winning a habit. We did that in our first two games here in Dubai. Our batters rose to the occasion, our bowlers left the opposition spellbound, and our fielding unit performed like a Formula 1 pit crew," Rahul said.

India's upcoming clash with New Zealand is crucial, as both teams have remained undefeated in the tournament thus far. The match will determine the top spot in Group A and help set the stage for the semi-finals.

The two teams have a history in the Champions Trophy, with New Zealand emerging victorious the last time they met. With plenty at stake, this showdown will serve as a vital tune-up for both teams as they head into the tournament's next phase.

Squads:

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

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