Sunil Gavaskar: India will start as firm favourites to win ICC Champions Trophy 2025
The Indian skipper, Rohit Sharma, hitting a sparkling century was perhaps even more reason for celebration than India winning the match and, with it, another one-day series, against England.
Cricket is a team game for sure, but it’s also important, especially ahead of a world tournament like the ICC Champions Trophy, for the lead actors to show that they are in good form and raring to go.
Rohit is perhaps the most destructive opening batter in the one-day game, and his striking form is a vital ingredient if India are hoping to regain the Trophy that they won way back in 2013.
Not many batters have hit multiple double-hundreds in this format, and Rohit is one of those rare batters who has done so. The reason it is also crucial for the captain of the team to be in form is that he is able to make good decisions while under pressure.
Tough situations require bold calls, and if a captain is doing well personally, then he is not thinking of the ramifications of a bold tactical move going wrong. The move works again because when a captain is in great touch, the gut feel, which is an important part of taking the decision, turns right more often than not.
Look at the calls that Suryakumar Yadav made last year in Sri Lanka when he was captaining the team. In a situation where the Lankans were cruising to a win, he brought on Rinku Singh and himself, and both picked wickets and won the game for India. Both hardly ever bowl when they are playing under other captains, but SKY, with his flair for doing the unusual with the bat, also brought out that aspect in his tactical approach since he was full of confidence, and it worked.
In a competition like the Champions Trophy, where only the top ICC-ranked teams participate, there is less likelihood of an easy game and more chances of tight finishes, and it is for these situations that a captain needs to be mentally sharp.
Rohit has often shown that he leads by instinct, which has worked very well for him, and now that all the questions about his place in the team have been hit for a massive six with that magnificent century, he will also lead with the weight of worrying for a place in the team off his shoulders.
The wins in the T20 series as well as the ODI series put India in a great place as far as confidence is concerned. There are only a couple of loose ends to be tied up, and that is Jasprit Bumrah’s availability for the Champions Trophy and Virat Kohli getting back among the hundreds, as Rohit has done.
Kohli is a big-match player, and nothing will motivate him more than the opportunity to score runs and win the Champions Trophy for India. After the last Champions Trophy win in 2013, he celebrated with the Gangnam dance, which was the rage way back then. This time, if he helps India win, we could be in for another unique celebration from him.
It’s been just over a month since Bumrah had his back issue in Sydney, and hopefully, he will be fit for the tournament. His presence almost guarantees wickets at the start and also in the final overs, apart from his miserly allowance of runs to the opposition batters. The pitch in Dubai will certainly be a little bouncier and, with it, have more carry than the ones India has played on in the recent series. That’s why his presence is so vital for India’s chances. Mohammed Shami’s return to the team has also been most encouraging, and one can see that he is regaining his rhythm and pace.
The other heartening aspect of India’s cricket in the series has been the outstanding catches taken by the fielders. Yes, there have been some simple catches floored too, but overall, the fielding has been top-class, with maybe just one fielder to hide. That, though, is a situation for all the teams in the world, where one of their bowlers is a weak link in the fielding unit. Good captains will see who is bowling and hide those fielders in positions where the ball is less likely to go.
The spirit in the team is very good, as could be seen by their enthusiastic cheering of their teammates who won individual awards at the recent annual BCCI awards function.
A team that is laughing with each other is a happy team that will invariably try and play for each other. That’s why India, apart from the talent that they have, will start as firm favourites to win the ICC Champions Trophy once again.
