Champions Trophy 2025: Rohit Sharma’s Press Conference on India’s Strategy
The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 has begun, and the Indian team will play its first match on February 20 in Dubai. Although Pakistan is the official host of the tournament, all of India’s matches will be played in Dubai. India will kick off its campaign against Bangladesh. Ahead of the match, Indian captain Rohit Sharma addressed the media in a press conference.
Why Did India Select Five Spinners?
Since the announcement of India’s Champions Trophy squad, one topic has been widely discussed—India’s decision to include five spinners. Many have questioned why so many spinners were selected, and Rohit Sharma addressed this in the press conference, explaining the team’s strategy.
India’s squad includes five spin options:
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Axar Patel
- Washington Sundar
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Varun Chakravarthy
Meanwhile, the team has selected three fast bowlers:
- Arshdeep Singh
- Mohammed Shami
- Harshit Rana (who replaced Jasprit Bumrah)
When asked about India’s heavy spin attack, Rohit Sharma clarified that the team does not have five specialist spinners. Instead, he emphasized that three of them (Jadeja, Axar, and Sundar) are all-rounders, making the team more balanced.
“We don’t have five spinners in our team. We have two spinners, and three of them are all-rounders. I don’t see them as five spinners. Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar strengthen the team. If we had five fast-bowling all-rounders, no one would have questioned it. We always focus on our strengths and back them,” Rohit said.
Rohit Sharma on India’s Champions Trophy Approach
Rohit Sharma also expressed his excitement about the Champions Trophy returning after eight years. When asked about India’s approach in the tournament, he said:
“We will play in this tournament like we do in other ICC events. Representing India is a huge honor. Sometimes, you miss certain players, but this team is strong.”
India’s Group and Tournament Outlook
India is placed in Group A alongside:
- Bangladesh
- Pakistan
- New Zealand
The first match of the tournament between Pakistan and New Zealand is currently underway. New Zealand has set a target of 320 runs while batting first.
