NZ coach Stead hails Rachin, Kane Williamson ahead of Champions Trophy final against India

Dubai [UAE], March 7 (ANI): Ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy final against India at Dubai, New Zealand head coach Gary Stead hailed the team's leading batters in the tournament, Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson. While he lauded Rachin's brisk but low-risk run-scoring, he expressed pride in Kane's ability to step up for big matches.
India will play New Zealand in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy on March 9 at the Dubai International Stadium. India is undefeated in the tournament so far, and the Kiwis have looked rock solid with bat and ball under Mitchell Santner's captaincy.
The clash promises to be an epic sequel to the 2000 ICC Champions Trophy final, which New Zealand won. Men in Blue would like to avenge losses to the Blackcaps in the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup semifinal and 2021 ICC World Test Championship final.
Speaking to the media, Stead said about Rachin's all-round ability, "Rachin is one of those batsmen who seems to be able to score at a run a ball without particularly trying hard. And his ability to bowl some left-arm spin. We are very lucky to have him. He is a really important player for our team."
Rachin has been one of Kiwis' rising all-format stars during the last couple of years or so. After a bumper 50-over World Cup in India, which saw him score 578 runs in 10 matches with three centuries and two fifties at an average of 64.22 to end as the Kiwis' top run-getter, he has also done well in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy.
He is the second run-getter in the tournament, with 226 runs at an average of 75.33, with two centuries, including one in the semifinal against South Africa. With all of his five ODI centuries coming at ICC events, one can safely say that this young batting all-rounder is meant for big stages already.
Stead said about Kane that he is a batter who rises for big occasions, calling him a "special player".
"He is a guy who rises for big occasions, he has done that for New Zealand in the past. Cricket is a game where runs are not guaranteed, but I know that Kane will be doing everything he can to prepare to score well. He has the ability to adapt to different surfaces faster than many other players. We hope he has a big day. He is a special player to us," said Stead about Williamson.
Despite a poor start to CT 2025 with two single-digit scores against Pakistan and Bangladesh, Williamson stepped up big time with a fighting knock of 81 against India in a crucial league stage match and a century in the semifinals. In four matches, he has made 189 runs at an average of 47.25 and is the ninth-highest run-getter in this tournament so far.
Stead also hailed the team's multi-dimensional star Glenn Phillips, who has made an impact with his quick runs, crucial wickets and stunning catches in this tournament so far, including one to dismiss a dangerous Virat Kohli during the group stage match at Dubai for a low score.
Hailing Phillips for his speed and strength, Stead said, "He loves fielding as much as anyone that I have seen. He practises it regularly, and he has that, I guess, unique ability to get himself off the ground, and it seems to stick more times than it does not. He is a fantastic fielder. There has been a lot of praise for him, I know, and I think it is well deserved."
Phillips has established himself as a 'Player of the Tournament' contender, having scored 143 runs in four matches at an average of 71.50, with a stunning strike rate of 71.50 and a half-century. He has also taken two wickets. As a fielder, he has pocked four catches in total, the second most in the tournament. (ANI)