Shocking Omission: Shami Out, Rohit’s Missing Charm? India’s CWC 2025 XI vs NZ: Who Will Rise to the Occasion?

March 2, 2025 2 Min Read

India vs New Zealand: Will the Men in Blue Rest Some Players?

The stage is set for the 2025 Champions Trophy, with India and New Zealand set to face off in the final league stage match to determine the top spot. The question on everyone’s mind is whether India will rest some players, given their qualification to the semi-finals already secured.

A closer look at the situation suggests that India have a strong bench to work with, and they can make some changes to their squad without compromising their chances of winning. In his press conference, KL Rahul, the Indian captain, mentioned that the team has no major injury concerns ahead of the match against New Zealand.

This means that Rohit Sharma, who strained his hamstring during the Pakistan clash, and Mohammed Shami, who had a minor ankle issue, should be fit to start. However, it’s unlikely that India will take risks and play them if they’re not fully fit, and Arshdeep Singh and Yashasvi Jaiswal could be the ones to start instead.

According to Indian assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate, the team is looking to strike a balance between keeping their best players fit and available for the semi-finals and maintaining momentum going into the knockout stage. "We’ve had two tough training sessions, so that’s been the preparation. In terms of the bench strength, I think the priority is making sure we have our best guys available and fully fit for the second game," he said.

The team is also considering sharing the bowling load to give their players some rest without compromising the outcome of the match. "We don’t want to rest them for another two days. So, to get that balance right, we might just try to share the bowling out a little bit. But we obviously want to win against New Zealand as well. It’s important that we keep that momentum going. And, of course, to top the group as well," ten Doeschate added.

India’s Likely Playing 11:

Rohit Sharma (C)
Shubman Gill
Virat Kohli
Shreyas Iyer
KL Rahul
Axar Patel
Ravindra Jadeja
Hardik Pandya
Kuldeep Yadav
Harshit Rana
Arshdeep Singh

The question remains whether India will rest Mohammed Shami and give Arshdeep Singh a chance to start. Alternatively, they might choose to keep the bowling attack unchanged and play Yashasvi Jaiswal instead of one of their established players.

Will India Top the Group?

The outcome of this match will have a significant impact on India’s ranking going into the semi-finals. A win against New Zealand will secure them the top spot, while a loss could see them drop to second place. Either way, India will look to maintain their momentum and momentum going into the knockout stage.

Source: https://www.news18.com/cricket/mohammed-shami-out-no-rohit-sharma-indias-likely-playing-11-for-champions-trophy-2025-match-vs-new-zealand-9245954.html

Original Source: https://www.news18.com/cricket/mohammed-shami-out-no-rohit-sharma-indias-likely-playing-11-for-champions-trophy-2025-match-vs-new-zealand-9245954.html
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Publish Date: 2025-03-02 02:53:00