India vs New Zealand: How important will be Rachin Ravindra in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final?

New Zealand's in-form opener Rachin Ravindra believes that adapting to the unfamiliar conditions of the Dubai surface will be crucial for his team’s success in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy final against India on Sunday. With the exception of their group-stage match against India, which was played in Dubai, the Kiwis have spent the majority of their time in Pakistan throughout the tournament. They also played two games in Lahore during the preceding tri-series, which involved Pakistan and South Africa. This lack of experience in Dubai could pose a challenge for the Black Caps, as they will need to quickly acclimatize to the conditions in the final.

ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Rachin Ravindra will be key to New Zealand's chances in the final

On the other hand, India has had the advantage of playing all their matches in Dubai, making them more familiar with the surface and conditions. This familiarity could give the Men in Blue a significant edge, especially in a high-stakes match like the final. Ravindra acknowledged that while the Kiwis might not be as accustomed to the conditions as India, they would need to adjust quickly in order to give themselves the best chance to win. With both teams eager to lift the trophy, the battle of adapting to the Dubai pitch could play a decisive role in determining the outcome of the match.

"We don't quite know what the Dubai pitch is. We saw in our (group) game against India the ball turning but the other day didn't turn so much. We found ourselves adapting and playing according to situations, which we will need to do on Sunday again. We will see in the next couple of days and hopefully it's a good cricket wicket," said New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra after an emphatic 50-run win over South Africa in the semifinal here on Wednesday.

Rachin Ravindra made history in the 2025 Champions Trophy semi-final between New Zealand and South Africa at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, scoring a magnificent century after Mitchell Santner won the toss and chose to bat first. The 25-year-old blasted 108 runs off 101 balls, leading New Zealand to a total exceeding 350 runs. His brilliant knock set the stage for a commanding total as the Black Caps aimed to play India in the final on Sunday, March 9, at the Dubai International Stadium.

Ravindra found solid support from Kane Williamson, with whom he shared a 164-run partnership. Williamson also scored a century, contributing to New Zealand's formidable total. This was Ravindra’s second century of the tournament, having previously scored a ton on his debut against Bangladesh. The young batter had missed New Zealand's opening match victory over Pakistan due to a freak face injury. With this century, Ravindra now has five centuries in ICC tournaments, having scored three in the 2023 World Cup. His remarkable consistency and ability to perform on the big stage have cemented his reputation as one of the brightest young talents in world cricket.

Rachin Ravindra's stunning century in Lahore has made him the youngest player to score five centuries in ICC ODI events. At just 25 years old, he has surpassed the previous record held by legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar, who had scored three centuries in ICC tournaments at the same age. Ravindra is also the first player to reach this milestone before turning 26, with Sri Lanka's Upul Tharanga the only other player to have multiple centuries in global events at this age, having scored two in the 2006 Champions Trophy in India.

In addition to his centuries, Ravindra has accumulated seven 50+ scores in ICC ODI tournaments before the age of 25, the second-most in history, behind only Sachin Tendulkar, who achieved nine such scores. Players like Jacques Kallis, Upul Tharanga, Steve Smith, Shubman Gill, Yuvraj Singh, and AB de Villiers have all scored five or fewer 50+ knocks before turning 25. Ravindra has also set a new record as the quickest player to score five centuries in ICC tournaments, achieving the feat in just 13 innings, breaking Shikhar Dhawan's previous record of 15 innings. His remarkable consistency at such a young age has firmly established him as one of the brightest talents in world cricket.