"Maybe you didn't want to play against Australia" - Aakash Chopra on New Zealand's decision to field first in IND vs NZ 2025 Champions Trophy clash

Former India player Aakash Chopra has questioned New Zealand for opting to field first in their 2025 Champions Trophy clash against the Men in Blue. He wondered whether the Kiwis wanted to lose the game to avoid playing Australia in the semi-final.

India set New Zealand a 250-run target after Mitchell Santner asked them to bat first in the final group game of the 2025 Champions Trophy in Dubai on Sunday, March 2. The Men in Blue then bowled the Kiwis out for 205 to register a 44-run win and seal a semi-final clash against Australia at the same venue two days later.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener expressed surprise about New Zealand's decision to field first.

"Was fielding first a bad choice? It's a big question. You should bat. Honestly speaking, who fields first on this pitch, but you did that. Maybe you didn't want to play against Australia and wanted to go to Lahore and play South Africa. I don't know what the reality is," he said (13:00).

Chopra opined that New Zealand could have troubled India had they batted first and set a 250-plus target.

"If you win the toss, you will close your eyes and bat first on this pitch because it becomes slow, slower, and slowest. It neither has any grass nor does the dew come. In such a scenario, you would trap the opposing team if you have good spinners. India would have got stuck if they had to chase 250-270 because you had better spin," he observed.

Aakash Chopra pointed out that New Zealand had four decent spinners in Mitchell Santner, Michael Bracewell, Rachin Ravindra and Glenn Phillips, who wasn't used in Sunday's game, in their playing XI. He termed the Kiwis' decision to field first a little ambitious and potentially slightly foolhardy.

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"Mitchell Santner was absolutely outstanding" - Aakash Chopra on New Zealand's bowling in IND vs NZ 2025 Champions Trophy clash

Mitchell Santner registered figures of 1/41 in 10 overs in New Zealand's 2025 Champions Trophy clash against India. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra praised the New Zealand bowlers, especially Matt Henry (5/42) and Mitchell Santner, for restricting India to a reasonable total in their 2025 Champions Trophy clash.

"Matt Henry bowled well and picked up a five-wicket haul. Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Lockie Ferguson aren't there, but they say they would manage. Will O'Rourke and Kyle Jamieson bowled well. Everyone did their job. Mitchell Santner was absolutely outstanding," he said (13:55).

However, the cricketer-turned-commentator noted that Kane Williamson was virtually the lone warrior for the Kiwis during the chase.

"Only one player was playing spin well, that's Kane Williamson. He wasn't in good form in this tournament. However, he batted well here. He showed that runs can be scored here. Mitchell Santner also helped a little later but Kane Williamson had gotten out by then. He (Williamson) plays with an excellent game plan, and with a lot of surety, belief and confidence," Chopra observed.

Kane Williamson scored 81 runs off 120 deliveries with the help of seven fours. Mitchell Santner (28 off 31) and Will Young (22 off 35) were the only other New Zealand players to score more than 20 runs in their 2025 Champions Trophy clash against India.