India, March 7 -- When India and New Zealand faced off in a Champions Trophy final for the first time in 2000, Shubman Gill and Rachin Ravindra were just about learning to crawl. It was that far ago. But with the passing of time, they have developed into the finest young batters in the world - now 25, they are in their prime and what better way to prove that than by winning an ICC trophy.

A match-winning innings for either of them, in their first ICC Champions Trophy summit clash on Sunday, could take their careers, already on a bull run, to an unparalleled high.

It's funny how their success stories have run parallel to each other. Born two months from each other - Gill in Fazalka, Punjab and Rachin in Wellington - both took their early...