India etched their name in history on March 9 (Sunday) by clinching their third Champions Trophy title with a victory over New Zealand in the final. The triumph was a complete team effort, with Virat Kohli and Varun Chakaravarthy emerging as standout performers. Kohli delivered two masterful innings against Pakistan and Australia (semi-final), while Chakaravarthy impressed with 9 wickets in just 3 matches. However, Ricky Ponting singled out Axar Patel for his crucial contributions to India’s 2025 Champions Trophy campaign.
Axar played a key role, taking 5 wickets in 5 games at an economical 4.35, effectively stifling runs in the middle overs. He adapted to his new No. 5 role with the bat, scoring 109 runs and adding stability to the middle order.