Dubai [UAE]: As Team India prepares to face New Zealand in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final, head coach Gautam Gambhir has justified the decision to shuffle the batting order, highlighting Axar Patel’s promotion to number five as a move to showcase his talent. The much-anticipated final is set to take place on March 9 at the Dubai International Stadium.
India enters the final undefeated, while New Zealand has been impressive under Mitchell Santner’s leadership. The clash revives memories of the 2000 ICC Champions Trophy final, where New Zealand emerged victorious. The Men in Blue are also eager to avenge previous defeats to the Blackcaps in the 2019 ICC World Cup semifinal and the 2021 ICC World Test Championship final.
Unlike other teams that traveled between Pakistan and Dubai during the tournament, India played all their matches in Dubai due to security concerns. This arrangement has sparked controversy, with former cricketers like Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton suggesting that the reduced travel and familiarity with the conditions gave India an advantage.
Addressing the criticism, Gambhir stated, “We have answered it before that we don’t care what people say. I think he’s a quality player, and it is important. This is how cricket is meant to be played, and this is how we will play the sport. We know the quality and ability Axar has, and we’re going to keep giving him that opportunity at number five so that he can keep performing and, more importantly, keep expressing and keep showing his talent to the world.”
Axar Patel’s promotion has been a key talking point throughout the tournament. His steady 27 off 30 balls in the semi-final against Australia demonstrated his ability to anchor the innings. Overall, Axar has scored 69 runs in two matches, thriving in his new role.
Gambhir also explained the decision to send KL Rahul at number six, emphasizing that the move adds depth to the batting lineup. He dismissed concerns about batting positions, focusing instead on the impact players can make.
“You know, in a sport like cricket and in a team sport, numbers don’t matter, batting positions don’t matter, it’s the impact that matters,” Gambhir asserted. “We are not going to talk about batting positions. We’re going to talk about how we can create that impact and what is needed of the team. We’ll continue doing that.”
As India eyes the trophy, Gambhir’s tactical decisions will be crucial in the final showdown against a formidable New Zealand side.