 "Champions Trophy 2025: Rishabh Pant face injury scare at Team India's first practice session in Dubai")
Team India kicked off their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 preparations with an intense training session at the ICC Academy in Dubai on Sunday, 16 February. However, the session took a concerning turn when wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant suffered a minor injury scare after being struck on the knee by a powerful shot from Hardik Pandya.
Pant suffers injury scare, Shami trains hard
According to a report in Times of India, Pant was left in visible pain after Pandya’s shot hit him unexpectedly. Physio Kamlesh Jain reportedly rushed to attend to Pant, while a concerned Pandya stopped batting to check on his teammate. After receiving icing from the team physio, Pant was back in his jovial mood, seen smiling and joking around before padding up to bat.
Even though Pant’s injury does not seem serious, the team management will likely keep a close watch on his recovery, given he is expected to play a crucial role in India’s Champions Trophy campaign. Pant recently made a strong comeback to international cricket after a horrific car accident forced him out of the game for more than a year.
Meanwhile, veteran pacer Mohammed Shami focused on fine-tuning his bowling skills under the guidance of India’s bowling coach, Morne Morkel. Before the batters entered the nets, Shami reportedly spent time adjusting his length, working closely with Morkel to perfect his execution and get ready for the Champions Trophy challenge.
Shami returned to the Indian side during the recent white-ball series against England after a long absence. He had been out of the game since the 2023 Cricket World Cup, where he suffered an injury. Captain Rohit Sharma will rely heavily on Shami as he will have to play the role of India’s frontline pacer in Jasprit Bumrah’s absence. Bumrah has been ruled out of the Champions Trophy due to an injury.
The Indian cricket team landed in Dubai on 15 February and is the only squad based in the UAE for the tournament. India refused to travel to main hosts Pakistan, instead opting to play all their matches in the UAE under a hybrid model approved by the ICC. If they progress, their semi-final and final matches will also be held in Dubai. India’s opening match is scheduled against Bangladesh on 20 February.
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