India might need to make a tactical change in their XI for the summit clash with a bold move.
It’s fitting that the two most tactically sound teams, India and New Zealand, have qualified for the Champions Trophy 2025. While India have the advantage of playing at one venue, no matter how much fans and players deny it, New Zealand adapted to the conditions better than any team in the competition. That doesn’t mean India wouldn’t have been in the final game if they played in Pakistan; they are too skilled a team not to make it to this stage.
India’s XI looks settled now and there are no indications of possible changes. Varun Chakravarthy’s inclusion – he has been unplayable in the two matches so far – has bolstered the spin attack. There’s variety, skills, and experience in the lineup now.
However, India might still need to make a tactical change in their XI for the summit clash with a bold move. They might have to drop Kuldeep Yadav to accommodate Washington Sundar in the XI. There’s merit in this call and it might make a difference eventually.
Firstly, Kuldeep’s returns since his comeback haven’t been inspiring, even if he has taken a few wickets. He has seven wickets at 39.14 runs apiece and conceded 5.05 runs per over. More than these numbers, Kuldeep’s bowling has looked flat at times.
For instance, he bowled too full against Australia in the semifinal when other spinners pulled their lengths back slightly. Another notable aspect is that Kuldeep has been bowling too slow at the start of his spell, which might not help him get enough bite off the surface. That means his good-length deliveries have been easier to hit lately.
New Zealand have handled him brilliantly in the last few encounters for they know how to negate his threat. They have batted proactively right from the start to disrupt his lengths and it’s well-documented that Kuldeep crumbles when taken for a few boundaries. This Kiwi lineup is highly skilled against spinners and might bring in another solid spin player in Devon Conway for this fixture.
Even otherwise, New Zealand will have as many as five left-handers in the top eight, increasing Washington Sundar’s role. Obviously, both take the ball away from left-handers, but Kuldeep’s numbers against southpaws have been abysmal this year. He averages 102 and has conceded 6.05 runs per over.
Even the likes of Daryl Mitchell have played Kuldeep well in the past. So, Sundar has a higher probability of succeeding against this batting lineup. He bowled exceptionally well against almost the same lineup in Tests last year.
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This New Zealand spin attack has shown how to maximise the conditions without a wrist spinner. Despite mostly playing on flat surfaces, New Zealand spinners have the second-best average (30.53) and strike rate (36.71) in this tournament. While Mitchell Santner and Michael Bracewell have been among the wickets, Rachin Ravindra and Glenn Phillips have chipped in with useful overs and occasional wickets.
Barring Phillips, the other three spinners have conceded less than five runs per over this Champions Trophy 2025. Even for India, the likes of Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja have bowled better than Kuldeep in Dubai. So, finger spinners have a better role than wrist spinners in Dubai.
Even if the team looks settled, there are plenty of reasons to include Washington over Kuldeep. We aren’t heading to the batting depth this move provides for this team rarely needs it, but then who is complaining about an extra batter at No.9?
This Indian side has adopted a ‘horses for courses’ approach and should again show some proactiveness with their selection. Maybe this move will be a game-changer for the big final.
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