After his fifty, social media was abuzz that this could be Rohit's final appearance in an ODI.
That said the pitch is going to get challenging for the batters as the game wears on.
New Zealand went down to India by four wickets in the title-decider in Dubai on Sunday, suffering a fourth loss in four short-format global finals over the last decade.
Kane Williamson is too long in the tooth to get dragged into the debate over India getting to play the Champions Trophy final in Dubai.
Spinner Varun Chakravarthy justified his selection with a five-wicket haul and bowled India to a 44-run victory against New Zealand.
IMAGES from Day 2 of the 1st Test played between India and New Zealand in Bengaluru, on Thursday.
Jasprit Bumrah has viral; Mitchell Santner has a side strain.
New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner acknowledged the challenge posed by India's understanding of the conditions in the Champions Trophy final, but expressed confidence in his team's ability to adapt. Santner believes the experience of playing against India in a league match will help, and is hoping his batters will be better prepared to face mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy this time around.
New Zealand seamer Jacob Duffy was adjudged player of the series for his eight wickets.
'We'll be putting our thinking caps on how to nullify that threat while still scoring runs against him.'
With Team India looking unstoppable, World Cup-winning former India pacer S Sreesanth says no team can prevent it from winning the Champions Trophy final on Sunday.
Tamilians and Keralites believe he is one of them, and people from Karnataka also consider him their hero.
New Zealand batsman Kane Williamson said his side have every chance of derailing India in a major final once again.
England finally faced some resistance from New Zealand in the shape of Tom Blundell's defiant century but dismissed the Black Caps for 259 to wrap up a thumping 323-run victory on the third day of the second Test on Sunday.
A confident New Zealand side will be eager to seal a semi-final spot when they take on Bangladesh, who will be fighting for survival, in their Champions Trophy Group A match in Rawalpindi on Monday.
Spinner Maheesh Theekshana's hat-trick was in vain as New Zealand clinched the three-match One-Day International series against Sri Lanka with a game to spare after a 113-run victory in a rain-shortened second one-day international in Hamilton on Wednesday.
Pakistan were all out for 260 in 47.2 overs with Babar Azam (64) and Khushdil Shah (69) scoring half-centuries but the hosts never looked in the hunt.
New Zealand will have to keep India under pressure for the rest of the first Test to emerge on the right side of the result.
Spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin chipped away at the wickets to leave New Zealand reeling on 171/9 in their second innings at stumps on Day 2.
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting believes South Africa has a slight edge over New Zealand in their Champions Trophy semifinal clash.
The tournament was decorated with several impactful players and 12 of them have made it to the ICC Champions Trophy Team of the Tournament.
IMAGES from the Champions Trophy Group A match played between India and New Zealand at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, in Dubai on Sunday
Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja and Yashasvi Jaiswal have been recognised for their exceptional performances in 2024 by being named in the ICC Men's Test Team of the Year.
Cricket Australia named Bumrah as the captain of its Test team of the year, which also features Yashasvi Jaiswal.
India's spinners were the key architects of the bowling performance. Varun Chakravarthy (2/45) and Kuldeep Yadav (2/40) were the standout performers, while Jadeja (1/30) and Axar Patel (0/29 in 8 overs) kept the pressure on with their economical spells.
Varun Chakravarthy now holds the best figures by an Indian bowler on Champions Trophy debut. His five wicket haul in just his second ODI is the earliest by an Indian in 50 overs cricket.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI against New Zealand in Sunday's final?
A seemingly invincible India will be eager to sharpen their game against spin and give a run to second-line players ahead of the semi-final when they take on New Zealand in their last group match of the Champions Trophy in Dubai on Sunday.
Latham also reminded his team not to lose focus on the second Test amid the revelries after winning the first match, as India has the firepower in its ranks to hit back.
Woeful India dismissed for 46 as New Zealand pacers run riot
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji list the 50 Most Valuable Players in the 2025 Champions Trophy.
Former New Zealand fast-bowling great Tim Southee is confident that the Black Caps' inexperienced bowling attack will do a wonderful job at the upcoming Champions Trophy after watching them perform impressively in the recently-concluded tri-series in Pakistan.
Rishabh Pant on Wednesday overtook his superstar India teammate Virat Kohli to reach the sixth spot in the ICC Test rankings for batters.
Wriddhiman Saha will retire from cricket at the end of this year's Ranji Trophy.
IMAGES from the Champions Trophy Group A match played between Pakistan and New Zealand at the National Stadium in Karachi on Wednesday.
IMAGES from the Champions Trophy final played between India and New Zealand in Dubai on Sunday.
Spin great Ravichandran Ashwin says New Zealand, despite the absence of the long-serving pace duo of Trent Boult and Tim Southee, who have quit playing the 50-over format, will pose a challenge to India.
The Kiwis named their 15-player squad for the ninth edition of the 20-over showcase on Monday, with the Black Caps opting for an experienced squad that includes Williamson and fast bowling duo Tim Southee and Trent Boult.
India will look for the right balance as they aim for a series-levelling victory against a spunky New Zealand in the must-win second Test.
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