Six Indian cricketers have earned spots in the International Cricket Council’s Team of the Tournament for the 2025 Champions Trophy, after delivering exceptional and consistent performances throughout the event.
India’s middle order was dominated by three of their top batsmen: Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul. Mohammed Shami and Varun Chakravarthy, both of whom took nine wickets in the tournament, also made the cut. Kohli was outstanding, producing two brilliant knocks, including a match-winning 84 against Australia in the semifinal. His performance reaffirmed that even at the later stages of his career, he remains in top form. Kohli also crossed the 14,000-run mark in ODIs during the tournament, becoming only the third player to do so after Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara. He finished with 218 runs in five matches at an impressive average of 54.5.
Iyer showed remarkable consistency, with his lowest score in the last four games being 45, proving invaluable at No. 4 in challenging batting conditions in Dubai. He finished with 243 runs in five matches at an average of 48.6. Rahul, known for his reliability behind the stumps, played a pivotal role as India’s finisher, remaining unbeaten in three of his four innings. He made significant contributions in the knockout stages, including two match-winning knocks in the semifinal and final, finishing with 140 runs in four innings.
Shami, ever the reliable performer, made a strong return to form with a brilliant 5/53 against Bangladesh in the opening group match and continued to impress in the knockouts, taking four wickets in the final two matches. He finished with nine wickets at an excellent economy rate of 5.68.
Chakrvarthy, having played just one previous ODI before the Champions Trophy, proved his worth with his ‘mystery spin’ and played a key role in baffling opposition batters. He also finished with nine wickets, averaging 15.1.
Additionally, Axar Patel was named the 12th player of the team. The all-rounder contributed both with the bat, scoring 109 runs (including a crucial 29 in the final), and with the ball, taking five wickets. His economy rate was an impressive 4.35.
The ICC’s 2025 Champions Trophy Team of the Tournament includes:
Rachin Ravindra, Ibrahim Zadran, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Glenn Phillips, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mitchell Santner, Mohammed Shami, Matt Henry, Varun Chakravarthy.
