 "Champions Trophy 2025: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli will have a 'massive role' to play for India, says Gautam Gambhir")
Team India seniors Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will have massive roles to play in the upcoming 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, believes head coach Gautam Gambhir. The recent form of both batters has come under criticism, leaving their international cricket futures hanging in the balance .
While Rohit managed just 31 runs from three Tests in Australia, Kohli aggregated 190 runs from five Tests, including a century in Perth . Rohit, though, has been named India’s skipper for the Champions Trophy with Kohli also being a part of it.
‘They add so much value to the dressing room’: Gambhir on Rohit and Kohli
“I think both Rohit and Virat, they add so much value to the dressing room. They add so much value to Indian cricket as well. They’ve got to play a massive role (in the Champions Trophy),” Gambhir said during the annual BCCI Naman awards in Mumbai. “I’ve said it before as well, those guys are so hungry, they want to play for the country. They have the passion to play for the country and deliver for the country," he added.
Gambhir also said that the format of the Champions Trophy is such that every game is make-or-break. As has been the case since 2002, the Champions Trophy has been played in the group stage format followed by the knockout stage. And like the previous editions, the 2025 Champions Trophy will have eight teams divided into two groups of four, with the top two from each group advancing to the semi-finals.
India are in Group A along with Pakistan, Bangladesh and New Zealand. “Champions Trophy is a completely different challenge as compared to the 50-over World Cup because literally every game is a make-or-break, so you can’t stop anywhere in this tournament. So hopefully we’re going to start off really well, because ultimately, if you want to go on and win the competition, you have to win five games,” Gambhir said.
India take on Pakistan in a marquee game in Dubai on 23 February and there has been a lot of hype for the game.
“Look, we don’t go to the Champions Trophy thinking that the 23rd is the most important game for us. I think five games, all the games are important. The mission to go to Dubai is to win the Champions Trophy, not only win one particular game. But yes, if that is one game in the middle of winning the Champions Trophy, we’re going to try and take it as seriously as possible," he said.
Impact Shorts
More Shorts“And more importantly, I think when two countries, India and Pakistan, play against each other, obviously the emotions are really high, but ultimately the contest remains the same," added the 43-year-old.
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