NEW ZEALAND NAMES BEN SEARS AND MITCHELL SANTNER TO LEAD KIWI BOWLERS IN ICC CHAMPIONSHIPS 2025

Wellington, NZ - New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has named uncapped left-arm spinner Ben Sears and all-rounder Mitchell Santner as the captains of their bowling and batting units respectively for their upcoming campaign in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Sears, who recently made his international debut against Australia, will lead the Kiwi seamers, while Santner, a seasoned veteran of the one-day format, has been entrusted with leading the batting unit.

The selections were announced by NZC head coach Gary Stead on Sunday in Auckland. Santner's inclusion was seen as a surprise move to give New Zealand a boost ahead of the highly competitive tournament series against India, Pakistan, and England, among others.

"We need all-around players like Mitchell who can perform well with both bat and ball," Stead said in an exclusive interview with Alaryana.com. "His experience will be invaluable to our team as we push for that champions' trophy."

On the other hand, Sears is expected to provide balance to the New Zealand spinner unit which has been plagued by injuries of late.

"Sears is a young talent who can potentially turn our attack around," Stead added when asked about the left-arm spinner. "We need bowlers with different skillsets and personalities to make an impact in this tournament."

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will be played from February 14, 2025, to March 30, 2025. The series promises to deliver some thrilling cricket and we at Alaryana.com are excited to provide you all the live updates, match analysis, and expert insights on all 50-over contests.

Stay tuned for more updates as we count down towards the big tournament!