By Vipul Kashyap

New Delhi [India], March 8 (ANI): Ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy final 2025 against New Zealand in Dubai on Sunday, Virat Kohli's childhood coach Raj Kumar Sharma said that he is 'very confident' that the Rohit Sharma-led side will emerge as champions in the final of the competition.

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.

'It is a big match. The way India is playing in this tournament, I hope they will perform and win the final match. So far, India has won all the matches, and everyone is contributing. They are playing like a good team, so I am very confident that the team will win the title,' Raj Kumar Sharma said while speaking to ANI.

Further, the 59-year-old spoke about former India skipper Virat Kohli. He said that if Kohli continues to play the way he is currently playing, then the Men in Blue will definitely go on to win the title.

'I am really hopeful that Virat Kohli will continue his form and the way he is playing. If he continues to play like this, then India will definitely win this game,' Raj Kumar Sharma said.

With a sublime knock of 84 in 98 deliveries, decorated with five boundaries and plenty of elegant-looking singles and doubles, Virat proved that his run-chasing skills are as good as new and the hunger for runs still remains the same.

His knock once again outclassed Australia and took India to the ICC Champions Trophy finals, where they will take on New Zealand and South Africa. Virat won the 'Player of the Match' for his knock. (ANI)