Team India achieved their second assignment in Champions Trophy beating New Zealand by 4 wickets, which was quite tricky at the end but Indian batters managed to pull things off. With that due India won their third Champions Trophy silverware. The match preceded New Zealand winning the toss and elected to bat first in a high-pressure match. Where Rachin Ravindra and Will Young gave a flying start to the proceedings though with small fielding errors team India back with quick 3 wickets.

With the help of Darryl Mitchell and Bracewell 50s New Zealand landed to a fighting total of 251.In reply indian captain and vice captain took the charge and took the score into limping high and reached 100 mark quite easily. Soon New Zealand bounced back and teared India with three successive wickets though Indian players strained good partnerships despite losing wickets in intervals but it was Jadeja and Rahul who finished the proceedings.

Read more: Suresh Raina Advices Fans To Cheer For Rohit Sharma

Indian Team Celebrations

After the loss of the 2023 World Cup at home it was quite a remarkable comeback to heal up the wounds. First India won their second T20 World Cup in June 2024 beating South Africa and now the Champions Trophy triumph has filled the Indian team with joyful tears. Even legends like Sunil Gavaskar couldn't hold up their emotions and were dancing like a child near the post-match ceremony. That aggravated how much important this victory means to captain Rohit Sharma and his team. 

Rohit Sharma was awarded with Man of the Match award peaking at the right moment and chose the finals to help India with a steady start with his valuable 75 runs. Even ICC chairman Jai Shah too couldn't hold up his emotions and caught up engaging with Shreyas Iyer during the celebration time. It's been reported that Indian players are awarded, 10 crore cash prize. 

Indian players reached home separately.

It was expected Indian players would be reaching with the team but there is slight change as IPL window is nearing, players have been relieved from their national duties. So players were spotted reaching to their respective cities along with their families not with the team. They were received with a grand welcome by fans.

Read more: LSG Fast Bowler Mayank Yadav To Skip First Half Of IPL

Captain Rohit Sharma reached Mumbai with his family and received huge applause from fans and the same with Axar landing in Gujrat received a warm welcome. As IPL is on the cards players are taking a small break before getting into the IPL season of 2025 after the due they will join the pre-camp season which is been accelerated by some of the franchises. 

Jasprit Bumrah shared his first reaction on social media, congratulating Team India on winning moment their third ICC Champions Trophy with a win over New Zealand. Though he couldn't play due to injury, Bumrah was seen at the stadium during India’s group-stage match against Pakistan, cheering for the Indian team.

Bumrah Instagram post, “Played like true champions! Congratulations to the entire team on a wonderful tournament and a well deserved win!".

Jasprit Bumrah applauds Team India’s triumph in the Champions Trophy 2025 🇮🇳🏆🎉 pic.twitter.com/72LgL66Bna

— CricTracker (@Cricketracker) March 9, 2025

Bumrah missed the Champions Trophy 2025 due to an injury, which was a big concern for India before the tournament. But Rohit Sharma led the team well and won their third title with a magnificent victory over New Zealand.

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by jasprit bumrah (@jaspritb1)

ALSO READ: Rohit Sharma Shuts Down Journalist with Epic Response, Confirms Retirement Plans

He got injured during the first innings of the Sydney Test in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and couldn’t bowl in the final innings. The Indian Cricket Board tried to speed up his recovery, hoping he could play in the Champions Trophy 2025, but in the end, he ruled out from the Champions Trophy 2025.The Indian team is hoping Bumrah recovers soon so he can play in the IPL 2025 and the Test series against England.

Indian Team captain Rohit Sharma is considered a global figure in the sports industry. Recently India won their last Champions Trophy league match against New Zealand beating them by 44 runs. The victory of the match wasn't yet slatted another controversy sparked. The Congress spokesperson Mohammad Shama made a controversial statement on Rohit Sharma stating "Rohit Sharma is fat for a sportsman! Need to lose weight! And of course, the most unimpressive Captain India has ever had,

Once the tweet was posted by her it took a mass recognition and flawless comments were flooded on X. This showed the mass outrage of the fans for the person who gave the glory of the second T20 World Cup for India in 2024 which happened in West Indies. After such huge flooded comments, the Congress Party took immediate action and stated that the remarks were from a single-person point of view, neither the party nor its members would degrade our national players and said to remove the tweet. 

Read More: Jos Butler Pens Down From England Captaincy

Shabana Mohammad Deletes The Tweet

After the outrage from fans and ex-cricketers she had to delete the tweet immediately and condemn that she didn't say anything wrong in that. It was a generic remark by her side. She moves on to say she had seen previous captains like Kapil Dev, Sourav Ganguly, Ms Dhoni and Virat Kohli who set the standards by their fitness complex into their captaincy. In a democratic country like India we have all the rights to speak. 

Further concluding she said I am not body shaming anyone here but look at your captain and say what I said wasn't wrong. The current ruling party didn't go back BJP, their spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari too commented on her remark stating Shame on Congress Now they are behind our Indian captain, Now do they expect Rahul Gandhi to play cricket after failing in politics? And using words like mediocre to our captain. 

Read More: Once Again Afghanistan And Australia Face Other In Quater Final

 Former Cricketer Yograj Singh Comes For Support

Former cricketer Yograj singh lashed Shabana Mohammad who deligated the Indian captain Rohit Sharma. He said people aren't ashamed stating these types of comments to our cricketers who represent our team globally such people should be given severe punishments. You are from political fertinity you should focus more on that. 

They have no right to say these types of things, Cricket is considered a religion in India there were a lot of things said to our cricketers when they lost against New Zealand and Australia its a game it happens. If I were the Prime Minister of India, I would have asked them to pack their bags and leave my country immediately. 

India will play against New Zealand at the Dubai International Stadium, aiming to keep their good form and their winning streak alive after securing their place in the semifinals. With two wins from two matches in the Champions Trophy 2025. In their last game, Virat Kohli’s brilliant century makes India a comfortable win over Pakistan while chasing 242.

India vs New Zealand Predicted Playing XI, Champions Trophy 2025: Rohit Sharma misses out, India likely to change the team.

In CT 2025, India is in a good position, they have some injury concerns before the big match. Captain Rohit Sharma, who had some discomfort against Pakistan, is still uncertain. If he isn’t fully fit, India might rest him, with KL Rahul starting the innings and Rishabh Pant joining the playing XI against Newzland. Mohammed Shami is also a concern after looking uncomfortable in the last match against Pakistan. Since he has had injury issues before and Jasprit Bumrah is already missing, India might not want to take any chances before the Semifinals. Even if Shami is fit, Arshdeep Singh could get a chance as the team looks to manage player workloads before the knockout match.

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🚨 PLAYING XI UPDATE vs NZ 🚨
(Times Now Report)

- No Rohit Sharma and Shami. (If they not Fit)
- KL to open with Gill
- Arshdeep and Pant will be in the XI

📷 ICC via Getty Images pic.twitter.com/lo2QReyijx

— CricketGully (@thecricketgully) February 25, 2025

India’s Probable XI vs New Zealand:

Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana.

If Rohit Sharma doesn’t play, Shubman Gill and KL Rahul are likely to open the innings. Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, and Rishabh Pant will play in the middle order, while Hardik Pandya is a skillful all-rounder. The spin attack is expected to remain the same with Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, and Kuldeep Yadav. Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana could handle the pace bowling.

Former Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Yousuf stated over how Rohit Sharma came onto his own on tricky pitches. He pummels bowlers, establishes the marching orders for India’s batting order and makes difficult scenarios seem simple. With his stroke play and calmness, Rohit inspires confidence in his teammates and exudes legendary traits in important innings.

Leader’s Knock

 In the recently discussed match, He played a crucial innings maintaining a strike rate of 113.88 and with a returned effort of 41 runs off 36 balls (7 boundaries), showed that with his proven hit for finding the gaps and keeping the scoreboard ticking. his proactive approach alleviates pressure on the middle order and lays a solid foundation for building innings.

Yousuf does well to mention the psychological impact of an opener like Rohit, who is destructive. A captain or senior player taking the lead from the start sends a strong message to his team and the opposition. Rohit’s attacking but methodical approach makes it difficult for the bowlers to change their plans and breaks their momentum.

The ‘GOAT’ Factor

A tweet with GOAT emoji and Yousuf’s comment described that Rohit Sharma’s impact is ‘unreal’ He is perhaps the greatest all-format player of the modern era, the best man in any situation to inspire his group. It’s not just about Rohit’s numbers; it’s what he brings to the crease. His sane approach, the quality of his shot making and counterpunching under stress have become a necessity for Indian cricket.

Mohammad Yousuf: Rohit Sharma makes tough pitches easier with his skills which sets a positive tone for the rest of the batting lineup.

The impact of Rohit Sharma is unreal.🐐

pic.twitter.com/FhQa2XbxMg

— Rohan💫 (@rohann__45) February 22, 2025

Also Read :Watch : Pakistan played indian national anthem during Australia vs England match

Beyond The Numbers

Rohit Sharma’s contributions are never far from the heart of the matter, whether leading a tough chase or constructing a big total. He is not only a batter; he is a game-changer under pressure in vital matches, someone who plans attacks in little packets and provides lift to other players on his side of the ledger; India needs a player of his ilk. As recognition for his impact continues from cricketing greats like Mohammad Yousuf, Rohit Sharma's legacies are sure to become more entrenched.

Mohammad Shami is back on to cricket field where he left the World Cup 2023 due to an ankle injury, coming back into another ICC event is not that easy job. Even after coming back and delivering straight away requires a different type of strength. Mohammad Shami was in elite form in World Cup 2023 where his pace and wicket-taking ability had become a serious headache to the opposition. 
It was during the final of the World Cup 2023 and India was poised with a mere target to chase, It was up to bowlers who would give the best outcome of the match. But after a few overs when Shami came to bowl he started feeling uncomfortable which resulted in his ankle injury. 
The Pain To Leave The Field
Mohammad Shami revealed in his latest interview that it was really painful not for the pain but leaving the field without delivering for the country. He lost the hope of coming back in the blue jersey. He encountered the incident with the doctor asking when he would be back on the cricket field. His reply was simple first his job is to make him walk, then jog and run the hard yards. After listening to his words carefully, I thought it would take a long time and lots of thoughts were running through my mind
Read More: Virat Kohli On And Off Form May Trouble India In ICC Champions Trophy
Whether I will back to the team will I be able to play for India? After my operation, my family became the biggest supporter of mine. After a few months, I was asked to walk, it was so nerve-wracking and so much pain thought it would be the end of mine. But my supporters became my biggest strength even BCCI gave their full support which gave me the strength to regain the confidence beneath me.
Striving the hunger back
It was hard and painful swollen knees to calm down monitoring day and night, but it was all worth it for Shami because his aim to play for India was way more than it. After one year of hard training and rehabilitation finally, it was all worth it for Shami. Still, he was kept on hold for the Bgt series not to give hard yards because BCCI didn't want to take the necessary steps to endure further injury. 

Due to Bumrah's injury in the recent BGT series, no main experienced bowlers were there for the England series and ICC Champions Trophy so Shami was fast-tracked and tried for the England series where he was clicking the clock better. Then what he was on the team sheet of the Champions Trophy. Shami played the first match of the ICC Champions Trophy where he took 5 wickets and restricted Bangladesh to 227. This comeback was not easy for Shami but the desire to play for his country and the toughness he possessed was great. 

Team India is all set for the Champions Trophy 2025 after a series win against England at home. The Indian team shows all-round performance, showing their strength in both batting and bowling. Shubman Gill was the top scorer with 259 runs, while Shreyas Iyer, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Axar Patel also played important innings before Champions Trophy for their form with the bat. In the bowling, Ravindra Jadeja took six wickets in two matches, and young player Harshit Rana  also took six wickets as well. 

1. Rohit Sharma (Captain) 
2. Shubman Gill( Vice Captain) 
3. Virat Kohli 
4. Shreyas Iyer 
5. Axar Patel 
6. KL Rahul (Wicketkeeper) 
7. Hardik Pandya 
8. Ravindra Jadeja
9. Kuldeep Yadav
10. Arshdeep Singh 
11. Mohammed Shami 

ALSO READ: Why Mumbai Indians Can Win IPL 2025

Batting Statistics

Bowling Statistics

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh isn’t taking more hype for the India-Pakistan clash in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy. He believes that match on February 23 in Dubai is "overhyped" and India will dominate in their biggest rivarls. India is in Group A, will face Pakistan in their second match of the ICC Champions Trophy, which starts on February 19.  

Harbhajan Singh Speaking on his YouTube channel, India’s squad is so strong and Pakistan’s inconsistency, saying the match is unlikely to be competitive. "fans hype up India vs Pakistan, but I don’t see anything special about it. India is a very strong team, while Pakistan has been struggling with their forms. They recently lost at home with New Zealand team and players are not in good form and inconsistent. If you compare both teams, India is clearly dominating in both batting and bowling,".

Harbhajan Singh said that Fakhar Zaman is the only player who trouble India in the ICC Champions Trophy. "I checked the stats Babar averages 31 against India, which isn’t great for a top class player. His average should be around 50. Rizwan’s average is even lower at 25. The only Pakistani batter who looks dangerous is Fakhar Zaman, with an average of 46. He can take the game away from India. But other than him, their batting is so weak. Faheem Ashraf averages just 12.5 against India, and Saud Shakeel only six. According to the lineup, I don’t see them putting up a big fight with India."  

Harbhajan also highlighted the strong form of India’s key players before the tournament. Rohit Sharma(Captain) has scored runs, Shubma Gill(Vice Captain) is in  good form, Axar Patel is performing well, and Virat Kohli recently hit a fifty against England in the last ODI. He may not best in the England ODI series, but he always delivers in big tournaments. KL Rahul is also playing well."  

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Comparing with recent performances, Harbhajan said India’s bowling attack is looking good. "Our bowlers are in good rhythm. We just defeated England in a home series, while Pakistan lost to New Zealand. Pakistan will play New Zealand in their first match, and I think they’ll lose again. Pakistan won an ODI series in Australia, which should have boosted their confidence, but they haven’t looked more different since, Rizwan is a good captain, but maybe their team just isn’t confident. Babar hasn’t been scoring, and even though Rizwan and Salman Agha have hit centuries now and then, the team doesn’t look strong. 

He also spoke about the expensive tickets for the match, saying fans may not get the close contest they expect. "Ticket prices have gone way up, but I don’t think the game will be as thrilling as fans hope. This big match on February 23 might just be one-sided."  

This is a surprising move from India to make a important key change to its squad for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy. Varun Chakaravarthy has been taken in to team in replace of young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal in the final team selection.

Chakaravarthy Performance in recent matches :
Chakaravarthy had a fantastic series against England in T20I, where he took 14 wickets and Player of the Series . The selectors were impressed with his ability to spin and trap batsmen with his variations , which made him a player in the tournament.

INDIAN CHAMPIONS TROPHY CHANGES:

- Harshit replaces Bumrah.

- Varun replaces Jaiswal. pic.twitter.com/8ncL9Cax8B

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) February 11, 2025

ALSO SEE : ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Jasprit Bumrah ruled out; BCCI announces replacement

Replacement for Jaiswal nedded or NOT :
However, it does come, as a surprise to many, considering his past performances in the recent tournaments. It seems, though, that the selectors have gone for spin-heavy bowling attacks, given the conditions in which it is expected to be played in the Champions Trophy. To top it, Jaiswal's form in some recent ODIs was inconsistent, and he has struggled with spinners in subcontinental conditions.

NON-TRAVELLING RESERVES OF TEAM INDIA FOR CT:

- Jaiswal, Siraj & Dube.

They will travel to Dubai when the team requires them. pic.twitter.com/no7zWK4NJq

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) February 11, 2025

INDIAN SQUAD FOR CHAMPIONS TROPHY 2025: 

Rohit (C), Gill (VC), Kohli, Iyer, Rahul (WK), Pant (WK), Pandya, Axar, Sundar, Kuldeep, Harshit, Shami, Arshdeep, Jadeja, Varun.

Some Big Changes and Expection from India :
Another huge change is that spearhead pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out because of a back injury. Harshit Rana has been called up in his place. This is a bummer for India, considering Bumrah has been a vital cog in the bowling lineup.With all these, India aims to strike the right balance between spin and pace. Fans are waiting to see how this affects India's performance in the eagerly awaited championship.

Jasprit Bumrah starts rehab at NCA, BCCI to decide on Champions Trophy participation.
Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has started his rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru following a back injury he suffered in the final Test against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The Board of Control for Cricket in India, or BCCI, is following his recovery and will take some time before it decides whether he will play in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Recovery Process of Bumrah
The injury is not serious, and proper rehabilitation is required before competing again in the game of competitive cricket. In the next coming weeks, he will be re-evaluated by the medical team of NCA. This rehab includes exercises, gymming, and eventually increasing the amount of bowling loads.
Doctors expect that Bumrah may take three to four weeks to fully recover. He might also participate in practice matches to test his fitness. The team management and selectors are hopeful but will not rush his comeback.

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BCCI’s Decision and Squad Deadline
The BCCI has time until February 11 to make any final changes to the Champions Trophy squad. However, even after this deadline, they can request a replacement if Bumrah is not fully fit before the tournament begins. The selectors want to give him every possible chance to recover and play.
If Bumrah doesn't recover in time, then the team will need a replacement pacer. The selection committee will consult with the NCA medical team before finally deciding on this.
Alternate Fast Bowlers
With the availability of Bumrah being doubtful, the management is also considering other fast bowlers. Varun Chakaravarthy has been included in the ODI team and young pacer Harshit Rana has also been a part of the set-up.

Champians trophy start date:19th feb

India squad for the champians trophy:

Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja