"I don't think they will be able to cope" - Net bowler makes interesting revelation about New Zealand ahead of IND vs NZ 2025 Champions Trophy final 

Net bowler Shashwat Tiwari, who assisted New Zealand in preparing for the Indian spinners for the upcoming 2025 Champions Trophy final, has shed light on their struggles against spin. The Blackcaps were bamboozled by the Indian spin quartet in their group-stage meeting at the Dubai International Stadium on March 2, as they lost by 44 runs.

Since spin has played a huge role in the proceedings in Dubai, opposition teams have found it tough to assume control when the tweakers are bowling in tandem. India's recent addition of Varun Chakaravarthy into their bowling arsenal has compounded the woes for the opposition.

New Zealand were particularly troubled by the mystery spinner, who bagged a five-wicket haul in what was just his second ODI appearance. With the experienced trio of Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav also marking their presence, it has not given batters much room to break free.

"Today, I fortunately got to bowl. Well, at one point in time, he asked me to bowl from 18 yards just to prepare for Ravindra Jadeja. It is because of the kind of pace he has; he was expecting that kind of speed. We bowled from that point, and we did it nicely. But when he realized the ball was coming too quickly, he asked me to bowl from 22 yards," Shashwat Tiwari told ANI.

"They are preparing for left-armers. I won't say they are struggling. Of course, our Indian team has top-class spinners, but I don't think they will be able to cope with them," he added.

New Zealand batters like Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, and Tom Latham are known for their proficient batting against spin. As a result, how they fare against India's quartet will have a huge bearing on the contest.

"We were challenged by spin vs India in the middle overs the other night" - New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner

New Zealand batters fired on all cylinders in the semi-final clash against South Africa at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. However, they might not have the same luxury in the final, given the sharp difference in conditions. Their middle order is set for a tussle against the in-form Indian spinners.

"We were challenged by spin vs India in the middle overs the other night. When you lose wickets in clumps, it is not nice. I think when you rotate strike, hit an odd boundary, that helps. We have good players of spin and it is on them to try what they want to. They have that freedom," Santner said during the pre-match press conference (via India Today).

The 2025 Champions Trophy final between India and New Zealand will be played on Sunday, March 9, at the Dubai International Stadium.