Karthik identifies key threats for India in Champions Trophy final
What's the story
As India gear up to take on New Zealand in the ongoing Champions Trophy final at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, former Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik has pointed out two Kiwi players as potential threats—Kane Williamson and Mitchell Santner.
Despite India's dominant run in the tournament, including a 44-run win over the Kiwis in the group stage, Karthik stresses that the final is an entirely different battle and brings its own challenges.
Here are further details.
Praise
Karthik praises Williamson's batting skills
Karthik feels Williamson's ability to bat through the middle could be a major hurdle for India.
He told Cricbuzz, "I feel Kane Williamson again because he's someone who can bat through the middle nicely."
The statement highlights Karthik's regard for Williamson's talent and influence on the game.
Notably, Williamson made 81 against India in the league stage.
Santner
Santner's unpredictability poses a challenge
Karthik also worried about Mitchell Santner's unpredictable bowling style.
He said, "Santner is a big issue because he doesn't give away anything. A very, very wily customer, knows what to do correctly."
He further called Santner "painful" for varying his deliveries.
Karthik praised Santner for being a good leader and having strong teammates like Kane Williamson and Tom Latham.
"Also a good leader and he's got some good people to rely on, like Kane Williamson and Tom Latham, Karthid stated.
Kohli
Karthik highlights Kohli's finishing ability
Karthik also stressed Virat Kohli's rare ability to chase down totals.
"Just the fact that he rotates so well, he is able to chase down totals because the pressure is so much less on him," Karthik said.
He thinks this skill makes Kohli one of the best finishers in ODI cricket.
"They have done everything well so far. They just need to keep continuing that. But India's chances? Very high. I don't want to jinx it," he further added.
Admiration
Karthik impressed by Santner's bowling and captaincy
Karthik also praised Santner's bowling and captaincy skills.
"I really enjoyed watching Mitchell Santner bowl and the way he captained. I think he's good," he said.
This further highlights Karthik's respect for these key players from New Zealand as India gears up for this high-stakes final in Dubai.
India journey
India's road to the 2025 Champions Trophy final
India kickstarted their 2025 CT campaign with a dominant six-wicket win over Bangladesh.
The win was fueled by Mohammed Shami's 5/53 and Shubman Gill's 101*
They then beat arch-rivals Pakistan by six wickets, thanks to Kohli's 100* and Kuldeep Yadav's 3/40.
In their last group game against New Zealand, Rohit Sharma's men beat NZ by 44 runs on the back of Varun Chakravarthy's 5/42.
Meanwhile, Kohli's 84-run knock and spinners' brilliance secured India's four-wicket win over Australia in the semi-final.
NZ runs
A look at NZ's run in the Champions Trophy
New Zealand opened their campaign with a dominant win over Pakistan, powered by centuries from Tom Latham (118*) and Will Young (107)
They followed up with a five-wicket victory against Bangladesh, thanks to Michael Bracewell's 4/26 and Ravindra's 112.
However, they faced a 44-run defeat against India.
In the semifinal, they bounced back with a 50-run win over South Africa, driven by Ravindra and Williamson's respective tons.