2025 Champions Trophy: 2 players who starred and 1 who flopped in today's India vs New Zealand match ft. KL Rahul

Team India wrapped up the group stage of the 2025 Champions Trophy with a convincing win over New Zealand. The Men in Blue triumphed by 44 runs at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday, March 2.

With the win, India topped Group A with three victories in the round-robin stage of the tournament. They will face Australia in the first semifinal on Tuesday, March 4, and they're clearly the team to beat in the Champions Trophy.

It was an important victory for India, but far from a perfect performance. On that note, here are two Indian players who starred and one who flopped in their Champions Trophy clash against New Zealand.

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#3 Star - Varun Chakaravarthy

New Zealand v India - ICC Champions Trophy 2025 - Source: Getty

Making his Champions Trophy debut, Varun Chakaravarthy admitted to being nervous but didn't let it show as he delivered a penetrative spell. The spinner registered his maiden ODI five-wicket haul, carrying his T20 form into the 50-over format and firing India to a memorable win.

Varun proved hard to pick once again, and four of his five wickets were either bowled or LBW. He delivered a slew of accurate googlies that had appreciable inward drift and mixed things up with leggies and seam-up deliveries when required.

Varun's form will give India a major edge heading into the semifinal clash against Australia.

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#2 Flop - KL Rahul

New Zealand v India - ICC Champions Trophy 2025 - Source: Getty

KL Rahul wasn't trusted to bat at No. 5 despite India losing three wickets in the powerplay, and it's hard to see what his exact role in the team is. The 32-year-old eventually made 23 runs and tried to be positive, but he doesn't inspire much confidence with the bat right now.

Rahul has largely aced a middle-order role in ODIs, but his consistency and reliability leave a lot to be desired. Against New Zealand, he danced down and hit one boundary over mid-on, but couldn't up the ante against the other frontline bowlers.

Moreover, Rahul's keeping proved untidy. He shelled a couple of tough chances and let a number of other deliveries slip past him. The 2025 Champions Trophy hasn't seen him deliver the standard of glovework he has promised over the last few years.

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#1 Star - Shreyas Iyer

New Zealand v India - ICC Champions Trophy 2025 - Source: Getty

Shreyas Iyer continues to turn in solid performances when India are in trouble. The No. 4 batter saw his side lose three wickets in the powerplay and dropped anchor to take them to a decent score through the middle phase of the innings.

Shreyas started watchfully, playing out a maiden to Mitchell Santner after negotiating the pacers in the back half of the powerplay. He then picked his bowlers to go after, striking four fours and two sixes in a sparkling 79. Although he was dismissed by the short ball once again, the 30-year-old did his job well.