Virat Kohli has been in sublime form at the 2025 Champions Trophy and has contributed to run chases immensely.
Team India have recently become a formidable chasing side in ODIs, with their senior bater Virat Kohli often at the forefront of successful run chases. The latest instance of that was during the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy semi-final against Australia in Dubai, where they chased down 265.
While Virat Kohli, who scored 84, couldn’t stay till the end, he set the platform for the chase, eventually allowing KL Rahul (42), Hardik Pandya (28) and Ravindra Jadeja (2) to finish things off. India will take on New Zealand in the Champions Trophy final in Dubai on Sunday. According to former Kiwi pacer Tim Southee, while the Team India chasing factor might be taken into account, he doesn’t feel batting first or second will make a huge difference.
“I think they will look at the conditions as to if it’s a clear bat first or bowl first. I think you also have to look into that (On India’s chasing abilities). India are such a great chasing side when it comes to someone like Kohli who is a master of chasing. So, I guess that may come into it,” Southee said on ESPNCricinfo during a discussion, which former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar was also part of.
“Coming to the difference between batting first and batting second, it doesn’t seem to be too big. So, they’ll turn up, they’ll look at the wickets. They’ll do their research and prepare well and make a decision. But I would imagine you do think a little bit about how well India do chase, in particular someone like Virat Kohli, who is a master of ODI chases. So, that may come into a little bit, but I think first and foremost I would look into the conditions and the surface and make the decision mainly based on that,” elaborated the 36-year-old.
In the group stage match against New Zealand, India were asked to bat first by New Zealand. The Kiwis restricted India to 249/9 but the Indian bowlers, led by Varun Chakravarthy (5/42), did well to see off the Black Caps for 205.
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Sanjay Manjrekar shared his views when asked how India would cope of they batted first in the final too.
“India is also coming into their own with the way they are batting. Shubman Gill has been a little too attacking on occasion so he might just tone down a bit. Rohit Sharma is getting a better understanding of his game. Virat Kohli, I think, just the way he ticks off singles. I mean in that last innings (vs Australia), that’s his lifeline which had sort of gone away from him for a while. So, he has got that back. He’ll bat in that exact fashion, Hardik Pandya will do what he does best,” he said.
Manjrekar added that the wicket of Shreyas Iyer will be vital for the Kiwis. Iyer has scored 195 runs from four matches, including two fifties.
“Shreyas Iyer is going to be a big wicket for New Zealand because this is a guy who plays spin so well. He’s also one Indian batter who has helped India get the ascendency in vital moments,” stated the 59-year-old.
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