Champions Trophy 2025: MS Dhoni behind New Zealand's success in the mega event!

New Zealand team has got considerable success under the captaincy off Mitchell Santner as the Kiwis have entered into the final of the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The Black Caps will meet India in the final of the mega event on Sunday.

Meanwhile, former India star Wasim Jaffer has revealed that former India captain MS Dhoni has a big hand in shaping up the New Zealand team by imparting valuable leadership lessons to Santner.

Dhoni Impact

Jaffer stated that Santner spent several years alongside Dhoni in the IPL, which likely gave him an excellent opportunity to observe the legendary skipper’s leadership style.

"I’m certain that playing under MS Dhoni has been a valuable experience for him. After spending so many years with CSK, being around someone like Dhoni gives you a chance to learn. Moreover, he has Kane Williamson on his side, who is an excellent captain himself," said Jaffer during a recent interaction.

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Leadership Lesson From Williamson

Jaffer also believes that playing alongside experienced players like Kane Williamson would have further enriched Santner’s leadership abilities.

The Mitchell Santner-led New Zealand team recently secured a dominant 50-run win over South Africa in the Champions Trophy semifinal. However, New Zealand lost by 44 runs to India in a group-stage match.

Fans are expecting a tough final between India and New Zealand. Meanwhile, many experts are of the opinion that India will be in an advantage position as they have played all their matches in Dubai and they have the experience of playing in the condition.