Looks like head coach Gautam Gambhir will only be satisfied when India will hold the Champions Trophy 2025 title on March 9. However, Team India is just one step away from doing so as they stormed into Champions Trophy final after beating world champions Australia by four wickets in the tense semifinal at the Dubai International stadium on March 4.
Virat Kohli's masterful knock of 84 runs from 98 balls proved instrumental in India's four-wicket win over Australia. While chasing a 265-run target, India reached 267/6 in 48.1 overs, with Kohli anchoring the chase. Following the early dismissals of captain Rohit Sharma (28) and Shubman Gill (8), Shreyas Iyer (45) provided crucial support, forming a valuable 91-run partnership with Kohli for the third wicket. Later in the innings, KL Rahul (42) and Hardik Pandya (28) held India's fort to ensure they go past the finishing line with 11 balls to spare.
Gautam Gambhir isn't satisfied India's performance after beating Australia in Champions Trophy semifinal
Following India's victory over Australia Gambhir lauded Team India's performance. He readily agreed with a journalist's assessment that the team had performed "flawlessly" throughout the tournament thus far. However, Gambhir also subtly suggested that the team still had room to improve and that their best performance was yet to come in the final match.
"The most important thing is the way we have played throughout this competition - the hunger, the commitment, and the eagerness to try and do something special for the country is always there in the dressing room," Gambhir said in the post-match press conference.
"There is always something to improve, be it in batting, fielding or bowling, and we still have one more game, and hopefully we can play a perfect game, that is the kind of person I am. I will never be satisfied with the performances! We want to keep improving. We want to stay humble, we want to be ruthless on the cricket field, but absolutely humble off the field as well. That's the team environment and culture we want to create in that dressing room," he further added.
India will now set their sights on Champions Trophy 2025 title as they will face either South Africa or New Zealand in the grand finale which is slated to be held on March 9 at the Dubai International stadium. Gambhir at last said hopefully India can play one more game and play their best game in the Champions Trophy final
"Hopefully we can play one more game and play our best game," Gambhir concluded.
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