Champions Trophy: Few ODIs, no Bumrah, however India’s batting appears strong | Cricket Information

Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma. (BCCI Photograph)

NEW DELHI: A 12 months earlier than the 50-over World Cup at residence in 2023, India performed 30 ODIs to be able to discover the suitable steadiness and the suitable mixture. Consequently, India had a close to faultless present – up till that forgettable night in Ahmedabad.
With the ICC Champions Trophy within the offing, issues are the exact opposite. Chasing a spot within the World Take a look at Championship (WTC) last for a 3rd cycle operating, India have performed the longest format for essentially the most half. Since dropping to Australia in November 2023, India have performed simply 9 ODIs – the fewest of the eight groups that can compete in Pakistan and Dubai. Total, solely Eire has performed fewer matches than India on this interval.
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Within the final 12 months, that quantity has been diminished to simply six matches – three in Sri Lanka and three in opposition to England at residence this month. Whereas Sri Lanka shattered India’s collection streak over them, India had little bother romping previous England.

With few ODIs to return on, selectors and group administration had a tough time deciding the enjoying XI versus England. Within the first ODI, Harshit Rana performed over Arshdeep Singh regardless of the left-arm seamer being a part of the squad. Harshit, nevertheless, has made the journey to Dubai since Jasprit Bumrah’s damage.
The absence of Bumrah with a again damage is arguably the most important problem for India going into the Champions Trophy. “My concern is that they [India] are going to overlook Jasprit Bumrah, there isn’t any doubt he will likely be an enormous absence and I believe they’ll really feel it very strongly,” wrote 2013 Champions Trophy winner Shikhar Dhawan in his column for the ICC.
“For me, he’s the most effective bowler on the planet, and his accuracy is difficult to copy. He’s additionally a really calm character and that’s essential in an enormous ICC occasion like this,” he added.

How do you discover a appropriate alternative for the Participant of the Match within the T20 World Cup after which the Participant of the Collection within the Border-Gavaskar Trophy? By bringing within the highest wicket-taker from the ODI World Cup, for one.
After enjoying a prolonged will-he-won’t-he recreation on his return from a number of accidents, Mohammed Shami performed his first India recreation in 14 months this January. Within the 4 matches – two T20Is and two ODIs – the returns have been modest. He is posted figures of 0/25, 3/25, 1/38 and 1/66 within the 4 fixtures. Possibly, extra importantly, he hasn’t seemed to be a health casualty. Despite the fact that he sported the brace throughout the nets session in Dubai, the 34-year-old has bowled full tilt with out fuss.
But, there isn’t any clear indication whether or not he’ll fill proper again into the enjoying XI or will that place go to Harshit Rana. If type is a sign, the 23-year-old put his title proper up the checklist with 3/33 within the T20I in opposition to England after which 3/53 in an ODI versus the identical opponents.
Dhawan has predicted Rana to have a “breakout event.”
“I like his perspective, he’s a go-getter and he’s not afraid of something. He accepts challenges and we now have seen within the England collection that he’s in type. I’m certain he’ll look to grab this chance and, if he does, he might present an actual x-factor for India,” acknowledged the southpaw.
Strong batting lineup (finally)
After some horrible exhibits with the bat in opposition to New Zealand and Australia within the Take a look at matches, India seemed like a well-oiled machine in opposition to England within the shorter codecs.
Shubman Gill, who slammed a ton in Ahmedabad, and Shreyas Iyer have been in good type which helps the group take away the dependency on the senior batters in Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. They, too, discovered runs within the ODI collection. The India skipper produced 119 runs sandwiched between two single digit returns. Kohli, in the meantime, raised his bat after a half century in Ahmedabad.
On the high of the order, the Rohit-Gill mixture has been a fruitful pairing for India. Since 2023, Rohit and Gill have made 1874 runs as a gap pair in 27 innings, averaging 72.07, together with six 100-plus and 11 fifty-plus stands
Presence of Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and KL Rahul down the order offers the group the solidity it wants to provide large totals.
India’s Champions Trophy 2025 schedule:

India’s Champions Trophy squad:
Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohd. Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy.