Virat Kohli is the biggest name among six Indian players chosen for the International Cricket Council’s ‘Team of the Tournament’ for the Champions Trophy. India defeated New Zealand by four wickets in the final held in Dubai on Sunday, winning the tournament for the third time, following victories in 2002 (joint winners) and 2013. India has also been runner-up twice in 2000 and 2017. Alongside Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul, mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy, and pacer Mohammed Shami are part of the playing XI. All-rounder Axar Patel is named as the 12th man.
Four players from New Zealand are in the team, including Rachin Ravindra, who was named Player of the Tournament, and Mitchell Santner, who is the captain.
Two players from Afghanistan have also been selected after the Asian team secured their first-ever ICC Men’s Champions Trophy match win in their debut appearance.
Rachin Ravindra was an expected choice at the top of the order after scoring two centuries and leading the run charts with 263 runs. His innings of 112 against Bangladesh was crucial for New Zealand’s win, and his 108 in the semi-final against South Africa showed his effectiveness in any batting position.
Ibrahim Zadran of Afghanistan joins Ravindra at the opening position. The 23-year-old Afghan made a significant impact in the tournament, playing a remarkable innings of 177 – the highest-ever Champions Trophy score – against England in the group stage.
India’s Kohli is positioned at number three after finishing fifth in the run-scoring charts with 218 runs at an average of 54.50. Kohli scored a memorable unbeaten century in his team’s group-stage victory over Pakistan and a vital 84 in the semi-final win against Australia, the world champions.
Teammates Shreyas and Rahul join him in the middle order after impressive tournament performances.
Iyer was India’s highest run-scorer in the tournament, scoring 243 runs with two half-centuries. Rahul concluded with an average of 140, thanks to unbeaten knocks of 42 and 34 in the semi-final and final, respectively.
New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips is selected at number six for his outstanding performance with both the bat and in fielding. Phillips’ diving one-handed catch to dismiss Shubman Gill in the final was one of the tournament’s highlights. The 28-year-old also scored a half-century against Pakistan and took two wickets against South Africa in the semi-final, alongside an unbeaten 49.
Azmatullah Omarzai is the second Afghan player in the team. The fast-bowling all-rounder had an excellent tournament with both bat and ball, taking seven wickets at 20 and scoring 126 runs at 42.00.
Santner is named team captain after finishing the tournament with nine wickets – joint second-highest – and taking them at critical moments. His ability to take potentially game-changing wickets was evident in the final. With a superb catch by Phillips, he dismissed Gill and then took Iyer’s wicket.
India’s Shami marked a successful return from injury by being selected after taking nine wickets.
Matt Henry, unfortunately, missed the final due to a shoulder injury sustained during New Zealand’s semi-final win over South Africa but still ended up as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 10 scalps at 16.70.
The team is completed by Chakravarthy, who claimed nine wickets in just three matches. He bowled his full quota of overs in all three matches he played.
