"The focus will be on him" - Aakash Chopra on India's potential X-factors in IND vs NZ 2025 Champions Trophy final

Former India player Aakash Chopra has acknowledged that Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill could be the Men in Blue's X-factors in the 2025 Champions Trophy final against New Zealand. He pointed out that the focus will be on Shreyas due to his proficiency against spin in the middle overs.

India will face New Zealand in the 2025 Champions Trophy final in Dubai on Sunday, March 9. While Shreyas scored 79 runs off 98 deliveries in the Men in Blue's 44-run win in their Group A game against the Kiwis, Gill was dismissed for a seven-ball two.

In a video shared on his YouTube 'Aakash Chopra', the cricketer-turned-commentator replied affirmatively when asked whether Shreyas and Shubman could be India's X-factors in the 2025 Champions Trophy final, considering their impressive ODI record against New Zealand.

"I think they can be. I think Shreyas Iyer has only one score less than 30 in all ODIs he has played against New Zealand. Every time he scores the runs. The bowling is very good in the middle overs. You get Mitchell Santner and (Michael) Bracewell there," he said (11:55).

"You might see Rachin Ravindra and Glenn Phillips as well. However, this guy plays spin so well. He plays spin so comfortably that he gets the better of them. So the focus will be on him," Chopra added.

Shreyas Iyer has amassed 563 runs at an average of 70.38 in eight ODI innings against New Zealand. He has struck two hundreds and four fifties against the Black Caps, with 33 being his lowest score against them.

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"He needs to set the record straight" - Aakash Chopra on Shubman Gill ahead of IND vs NZ 2025 Champions Trophy final

Shubman Gill has been dismissed for single-digit scores in his last two innings in the 2025 Champions Trophy. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that Shubman Gill needs to return to his run-scoring ways in the 2025 Champions Trophy.

"Shubman Gill started the tournament with a bang, he scored a century and was playing well in the second match against Pakistan as well. However, he has gone slightly down in the two matches after that. So he needs to set the record straight as well," he said (12:25).

The former India opener added that Gill needs to deliver in big games, like Virat Kohli does, if he wants to be considered among the greats of the game.

"If Shubman has to become like Virat, because he is on the path of greatness, so if he has to go there, you have to leave your imprint on the final. So you are absolutely right. If Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill play splendidly, we will write our name on the trophy," Chopra observed.

Shubman Gill has scored 592 runs at an average of 74.00 in 11 innings against New Zealand. He has struck two hundreds, including a 208-run knock in Hyderabad in January 2023, and as many fifties against the Kiwis.