Courtesy: BCCI
After securing two straight wins in the first two matches of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, the Indian cricket team are high on confidence and belief before going into their third and final Group A clash against an ever-consistent New Zealand at the Dubai International Stadium. While both these teams have already confirmed their spot in the semi-finals of the ongoing tournament, a victory of either of them will ensure that they will be finishing in the top spot in the group stage, to get a less fancied opponent in the next round.
Click Here : IND vs NZ Live Score, Match 12
In this article, SportsTiger looks at India’s probable playing XI versus New Zealand for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Group A match.
Openers: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill
Indian captain Rohit Sharma has continued on his way of attacking the bowlers from the get-go in the first power play of an ODI match, yielding him decent success, but his spot in the playing XI for the New Zealand game is in question after he apparently suffered a hamstring injury in the previous game. With that, Shubman Gill, the vice-captain, who has been in red-hot form in the Champions Trophy, could lead the Indian cricket team while Rohit Sharma takes rest ahead of the semi-final clash early next week.
Click Here: Most runs in Champions trophy 2025
Middle Order: Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk)
Virat Kohli scored a magnificent hundred for India in their previous ICC Champions Trophy 2025 clash against arch-rivals, which was also his 51st in ODI cricket, and it will raise the belief of the team before the all-important semi-final in Dubai next week. Shreyas Iyer, the right-handed batter, has looked his fluent best in the first couple of matches in the tournament at the Dubai International Stadium, strengthening the Indian batting lineup further.
KL Rahul, who has been quite good behind the stumps, along with a score to his name, spoke about how he is competing for the wicket-keeping spot with Rishabh Pant, but at the same time, the 32-year-old expects to play the remaining matches in the tournament.
All-Rounders: Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja
Axar Patel has got a chance to bat higher in the batting order for the Indian cricket team in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, but his best has come out with the ball and in the field thus far. Hardik Pandya was quite impressive with the ball against Pakistan last weekend, taking the key wicket of Babar Azam, and he continued his momentum with the ball by dismissing well-set Saud Shakeel later on.
Ravindra Jadeja hasn’t had a hit with the bat in the Champions Trophy, but his exploits with the ball and in the field have added to the strength and depth of India’s bowling effort in the tournament.
Bowlers: Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Harshit Rana
Kuldeep Yadav gained confidence in the latter stages of the Pakistan innings in the previous match for India in the Champions Trophy, taking three quick wickets, including the one of dangerous Salman Ali Agha. Mohammed Shami isn’t quite at his best in terms of rhythm and accuracy since returning to the Indian squad after a lengthy layoff, but still, he managed to take a five-wicket haul earlier in the tournament against Bangladesh.
Harshit Rana has been a revelation for India in ODI cricket ever since his introduction to the side last month, and during the first couple of matches in the tournament, he has picked up four wickets already.
