World cricket once again marveled at Virat Kohli as the former captain of India delivered a remarkable innings of 84 runs in the semifinal of the Champions Trophy 2025 against Australia on Tuesday at the Dubai International Stadium. Kohli garnered admiration and accolades from around the world, reaffirming his reputation as a 'chase master.' The highest praise, however, came from the legendary Kapil Dev.

In pursuit of 265 runs on a challenging Dubai pitch, India found themselves struggling at two wickets down for just 43 runs during the powerplay. Nevertheless, Kohli's courageous innings of 84 off 98 balls, supported by the middle-order, enabled India to secure victory with 11 balls remaining. His performance earned him the Player of the Match title, making him India's top run-scorer in the tournament to date.

In an interview with India Today, Kapil expressed his admiration for Kohli's composure and desire for challenges. He lauded the 36-year-old as the 'greatest among the greats' in One Day International run chases, placing him above MS Dhoni.

"I believe he possesses the temperament to embrace greater challenges, which fuels his energy. He enjoys playing in that manner, and very few cricketers exhibit such temperament. Ultimately, he has the talent and the finesse required to win matches. While we know Dhoni excelled in this regard, Kohli stands a step ahead of everyone else," he remarked.

India favourites in Champions Trophy final?

India remains the only team in the 2025 Champions Trophy that has not experienced a defeat, having triumphed in all four matches leading to their third consecutive final in the history of the ICC tournament. They are set to face New Zealand in the final on Sunday in Dubai. The Black Caps earned their spot in the final after securing a 50-run victory over South Africa in the second semifinal held in Lahore on Wednesday.

India previously defeated New Zealand during the group stage on their way to the final. Does this position the team, led by Rohit Sharma, as the favorites for the final?

Kapil remarked, "India has a greater chance, but one should never underestimate any team in the Champions Trophy."

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