Mitchell Santner on Champions Trophy Final: “Rohit’s Innings Put Us on the Back Foot”

New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner praises Rohit Sharma’s match-winning knock, acknowledges India’s spinners, and reflects on the Blackcaps’ journey in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Dubai [UAE], March 10: New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner lauded Rohit Sharma’s explosive knock in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final, admitting that the Indian skipper’s innings was the turning point in India’s four-wicket victory over New Zealand in Dubai on Sunday.

“The powerplay was the best time to bat. Rohit and Gill cashed in, and Rohit’s innings was outstanding. It put us on the back foot, but we knew the game could change quickly, so we kept chipping away at wickets and stayed in the game,” Santner said in the post-match presentation.

Rohit Sharma’s Masterclass in the Final

India’s chase of 252 runs began with a dominant 105-run stand between Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill. Rohit played the aggressor’s role, dismantling New Zealand’s bowling attack with a swashbuckling 76 off 83 balls, featuring seven fours and three sixes.

While Rohit’s knock was the backbone of India’s innings, Shreyas Iyer (48) and KL Rahul (34)* ensured a composed finish, guiding India to a historic third Champions Trophy title.

New Zealand’s Struggles Against Indian Spinners

Earlier, New Zealand opted to bat first and enjoyed a swift start from Rachin Ravindra (37) and Will Young (15). However, India’s spin quartet—Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja—completely choked the scoring rate.

Santner acknowledged the impact of India’s spinners in restricting New Zealand’s total to 251/7.

“It was good bowling. We lost a couple of wickets after the powerplay. Credit to the way their spinners bowled; all four of them were world-class. We were 25 runs short, but we had a total, and we tried to fight,” he admitted.

Despite New Zealand’s struggles, Daryl Mitchell (63) and Michael Bracewell (53)* provided much-needed resistance to push their total past 250.

Rachin Ravindra Shines as Player of the Tournament

Even though New Zealand fell short in the final, young all-rounder Rachin Ravindra emerged as a standout performer, finishing as the Player of the Tournament with two centuries to his name.

“We have seen how Rachin steps up in major events. He has been outstanding with the ball, and even GP (Glenn Phillips). He understands his game at such a young age, and he even put pressure on India early on,” Santner said.

Santner Reflects on New Zealand’s Journey

Despite the heartbreak in the final, Santner expressed pride in his team’s performance throughout the tournament, acknowledging that India was the better side on the day.

“It has been a good tournament. We had challenges along the way, but we have grown as a group and played some good cricket. We were beaten by a good side who turned up today. There was a lot of good stuff from our group, guys stepping up at different times, and that’s all you can ask as a captain,” Santner concluded.

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Tags: ICC Champions Trophy 2025, India vs New Zealand, Rohit Sharma, Mitchell Santner, Rachin Ravindra, Shubman Gill, Team India, Cricket Final, Champions Trophy Winner