India senior batter KL Rahul is aware of the threat New Zealand pose and is not looking to take them lightly in a tournament as tough as the Champions Trophy. The 50-over Champions Trophy is a pretty sharp tournament where a team plays only three matches in the group stage, and any error might be too costly for a team.
India and New Zealand have already qualified for the semifinals from Group A with a game in hand, but there is still life in this game. The fixture will decide who tops Group A and also confirm the face-offs for the semifinals of the tournament.
Notably, this will also give some quality game time for both the teams and probably a dress rehearsal for what can also be a rematch in the final if both win their respective semifinals. New Zealand have also had the wood over India in ICC tournaments, with the Kiwis leading the Men in Blue 9-5 in ICC white-ball tournament head-to-head face-offs.
Rahul knows the complexity of a tight tournament like the Champions Trophy and is aware of what the Kiwis bring to the table. "It's my first Champions Trophy and what I've realised is things happen really quickly. It's not like the World Cup, where even if you don't start well, there's an opportunity for you to come back. But in this tournament, it's just really hard. You need to be really switched on," Rahul said in the pre-match press conference on the eve of the fixture at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
"No game is easy, and no team can be taken lightly. So, yeah, that's how we've looked at things in New Zealand. They've always been a very formidable team and a very competitive team. We've played against them a lot of times in ICC events, and they've ramped up against us. It's been quite even in the contest," he added.
Rahul brushes aside reports of Rohit and Shami's injury issues
Meanwhile, the wicketkeeper batter has brushed aside the concerns over the reported injury issues of both captain Rohit Sharma and speedster Mohammed Shami. "Fitness-wise, there are no concerns about anyone missing a game as far as I know. There are temptations to try different players before the semifinals, but I am not sure that will be the case. There is little time before the semifinals, so you would want players to get maximum game time. This is my perspective, but things could change. I am not part of the leadership group," Rahul said in the press conference.
