Team India will begin the road to the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 with a three-match ODI series against former world champions England beginning in Nagpur on Thursday. With the five-match T20I series coming to an end earlier this week, Indian stars like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will be back in the mix and will be critical to the nation’s chances in the Champions Trophy.
Both Rohit and Kohli had a forgettable time in the five-match Test series against Australia, with the Indian skipper managing only 31 runs in three Tests and was forced to drop himself from the side for the fifth and final Test in Sydney last month.
But Rohit was in scintillating form in the last ICC event in the 50-over format – the 2023 ODI World Cup – guiding India to the final at home. Rohit was the 2nd highest run-getter for India with 597 runs in 11 matches at an average of 54.27 with a strike-rate of 125.94.
Of course, the leading run-scorer for India in that campaign was former captain Kohli, who scored 765 runs in 11 games at an average of 95.62 with 3 hundreds and 6 fifties. Former India and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter Suresh Raina believes that Rohit and Virat ‘complement’ each other and will critical to India’s fortunes in Champions Trophy.
“Rohit Sharma’s strike rate has improved significantly after the ODI World Cup in 2023. Since then, he has scored runs at a strike rate of 119-120, making him one of India’s best ODI batsmen. For Rohit and Virat, I would say that when you have a strong record of past performances, it gives you a lot of confidence. They complement each other well, and both have the skill to score big runs. If they perform well, India’s ICC Men’s Champions Trophy campaign will benefit immensely,” Raina was quoted as saying on Star Sports show ‘Game Plan’.
Although Rohit is struggling to find form with the bat, Raina believes that the best course for the Indian skipper will be to be ‘aggressive’. “I think Rohit should play aggressively. You saw how he batted in the ODI World Cup—he was attacking even in the final. So, I believe his approach will remain the same. The key question is who will open alongside him—will it be Shubman? I remember, whenever they play together, they maintain an aggressive intent,” Raina said.
On Rohit Sharma as a captain, Raina felt, “Rohit Sharma is an attacking captain. The way he utilizes his bowlers is commendable—bringing in Mohammad Shami at crucial moments and relying on spinners strategically. When Rohit scores runs, it also reflects in his captaincy. This could be his last ICC trophy as captain, and if he wins, he will become the first Indian player to win four ICC trophies. He has already won the T20 World Cup, and securing the Champions Trophy would be a remarkable achievement. He will be motivated to make it happen, but scoring runs will be crucial for him.”
Meanwhile, Kohli needs 94 more in the ODI series against England to become the fastest batter to score 14,000 runs in ODIs – going past legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar. “When it comes to white-ball cricket, Virat knows how to switch on and switch off. He has scored the most runs against England, so his energy will be at a different level automatically. The three ODIs will be played in Nagpur, Ahmedabad, and Cuttack—all of which are high-scoring venues,” Raina said about Kohli.
Virat Kohli in today’s practice session at Nagpur ahead of the ODI series.
(PTI).
– THE PEAK FITNESS OF KING KOHLI..!!!!
pic.twitter.com/WckOvGlYu8
— Tanuj Singh (@ImTanujSingh) February 4, 2025
About the spin department and Indian team combination, Raina said, “I think (Ravindra) Jadeja will definitely play because of his effectiveness in ODIs. Kuldeep (Yadav) has not played a match since his injury, but we also have Axar Patel, who has been consistently performing well. The pitches in Dubai will offer some seam movement, but spin will also play a role. That’s why Kuldeep, Axar, and Jadeja need to be in top form. Rohit’s choice of team combination will be crucial.”
Team India will begin their campaign in the Champions Trophy with a clash against Bangladesh in Dubai on February 20 while the all-important India vs Pakistan clash is scheduled to take place on February 23 at the same venue.
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