Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra has picked his best XI of the 2025 Champions Trophy. He picked only three Indians and included six players from New Zealand, the Indian team’s opponents in the final as well. However, India will play against New Zealand in the 2025 Champions Trophy final in Dubai on Sunday, March 9 as well.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra,’ he said, “The first player I have picked is Ben Duckett. His team lost all three matches, but it’s not his mistake. He scored 165 runs (against Australia) and took the team to 350. Ben Duckett looked good in the second match as well and was batting decently before he got out in the third match. He played only three matches. So I am giving him the benefit of doubt. I have kept Rachin Ravindra alongside him. He didn’t play at the start as he was injured. However, he scored two centuries once he played. A century in the semi-finals, I think that sealed the deal for Rachin Ravindra.”
He also stated that Team India’s Virat Kohli deserves to be the No. 3 batter in his team of the tournament as well. New Zealand’s Kane Williamson surpassed England’s Joe Root to the No. 4 position in the hypothetical team as well.
“Let’s not ask a question at No. 3 and move forward – Virat Kohli. He scored a century against Pakistan in a chase. Then he scored 84 runs in the semi-final. He has played at a strike rate of 83 because 300 runs are not being scored in Dubai. At No. 4, I have got Kane Williamson. He didn’t start well, didn’t play well in the first two matches, but he was the mainstay against India and then the semi-finals. Joe Root could have also been here, but I have left him out as Kane Williamson was available. I have gone with Kane because a semi-final century means a bit more,” Chopra shared.
“I have kept a wicketkeeper-batter at No. 5. I couldn’t have kept KL Rahul because he hasn’t scored that many runs, and he doesn’t play at No. 5 either. I have kept Tom Latham at No. 5. He has a century and a fifty, and has scored 191 runs in four matches at an average of 63,” he explained. “At No. 6, I have got Glenn Phillips. You might ask why him and not Axar Patel. He has scored 143 runs in four matches at a strike rate of 140, takes catches while flying, and has picked up two wickets as well, and that too in the semi-final. In terms of all-round performance, he is pipping Axar Patel and Hardik Pandya to the post. Then comes Azmatullah Omarzai. He scored 126 runs (in three matches) and picked up a five-wicket haul to win the match against England. He has taken seven wickets and has an average of 42 and a strike rate of 104 (with the bat).”
However, Aakash Chopra also chose New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner as the first frontline spinner and the captain of his best XI of 2025
Champions Trophy as well.
“After that, I have kept Mitchell Santner’s name because he has bowled 40 overs in four matches and picked up seven wickets. He has had an average of 27 and an economy of 4.85. If you pick a spinner unbiasedly, you have to put Mitchell Santner. He is also my team’s captain. Varun Chakaravarthy, again nobody should question, although he has played only two matches. When you have such an impact in the two matches you have played, picked up a five-wicket haul in the first and two wickets in the second, Varun Chakaravarthy’s name needs to be there in this team,” Chopra shared.
“You will have to keep Matt Henry’s name. He has picked up 10 wickets in four matches. He took five wickets against India on the Dubai pitch. After that, I have kept Mohammad Shami. He has taken eight wickets in four matches, which includes a five-wicket haul against Bangladesh,” he concluded.
Aakash Chopra’s best XI of 2025 Champions Trophy:
Ben Duckett, Rachin Ravindra, Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson, Tom Latham, Glenn Phillips, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mitchell Santner, Varun Chakaravarthy, Matt Henry, Mohammad Shami
