Five key factors in India-New Zealand Champions Trophy final

Agency :

India and New Zealand face off in the final of the Champions Trophy in Dubai on Sunday to decide the winner of the eight-nation ODI tournament.
Henry’s opening burst
New Zealand pace spearhead Matt Henry leads the bowling charts in the 50-over tournament with 10 wickets — five when the Black Caps faced India earlier in the competition.
Henry took down Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli in the group match in Dubai to reduce India to 30-3, before a middle-order fightback lifted Rohit Sharma’s team to 249-9.
Henry, who combines pace with good seam movement, returned figures of 5-42, albeit in a losing cause.
His opening burst in the final could be vital for New Zealand in gaining the upper hand.
Chakravarthy’s mystery spin
Wrist spinner Varun Chakravarthy was a late addition to the India squad for the tournament and against New Zealand bamboozled the opposition with figures of 5-42.
That was his first match of the tournament and only his second ODI, having made his debut against England in February.
The 33-year-old, a mystery spinner who has many variations up his sleeve, took another two wickets in the semi-final against Australia.
Chakravarthy could be key to India’s chances — if part of the XI — on pitches that have helped the spinners.
Ravindra, Williamson threat
Rising star Rachin Ravindra and old warhorse Kane Williamson come into the final fresh from centuries against South Africa in Lahore.
The left-handed Ravindra and Williamson put together 164 runs in a match-winning stand in the semi-final and have the ability tackle the Indian spinners with aplomb.
Williamson, 34, hit a valiant 81 in the previous match against India and with Ravindra, 25, will once again pose a serious threat to India on an expected sluggish pitch.
Skipper and left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner said Williamson and Ravindra’s batting makes life a “little easier” for the bowlers.
Rohit’s start
India captain Rohit hasn’t hit top gear in the tournament, with his highest score being 41 in the opening win against Bangladesh.
But even his scores of 20-plus in two matches — against Pakistan and Australia — have handed India quick starts for others to build on.
Critics have slammed the opener for not converting those starts into bigger scores.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir says his impact has been crucial and not driven by numbers.
“You evaluate from the runs; we evaluate from the impact. That’s the difference,” Gambhir shot back at a question on Rohit’s form.
The pitch factor
The pitches at Dubai International Cricket Stadium have been a talking point with India playing all their matches at the same venue after refusing to tour Pakistan for political reasons.
The surface in Dubai has been sluggish and aided spinners with Australia posting the highest total in this tournament of 264, which was overhauled by India with 11 balls to spare.
Tracks in Pakistan have produced tall scores with New Zealand getting a Champions Trophy record 362-6 before restricting South Africa to 312-9 in Lahore.
While India stay at their temporary home for the final, New Zealand’s Ravindra said “we pride ourselves in adapting and playing the situation in front of us”.