Less than a year after fulfilling his dream of winning an ICC trophy as captain, Rohit Sharma is set to lead India into yet another global event—the 2025 Champions Trophy. After guiding India to a thrilling T20 World Cup triumph over South Africa in June 2024, Rohit now has his sights set on adding another major title to his name.
India has been placed in Group A with Pakistan, New Zealand, and Bangladesh and will start their campaign on February 20. Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina believes Rohit will be highly motivated for this tournament because it might be his last ICC show as captain.
Rohit Sharma is an aggressive captain who knows how to utilize his bowlers effectively. The way he brings in someone like Mohammad Shami at crucial moments or relies on spinners strategically is commendable,” Suresh Raina said while speaking on Star Sports.
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He also emphasized how a strong batting performance from Rohit often reflects in his leadership. This could be his last ICC trophy as captain, and if he wins, he will join Virat Kohli as the only Indian player to have four ICC trophies. He has already won the T20 World Cup, and adding the Champions Trophy would be a huge accomplishment. He’ll be eager to achieve it, but his form with the bat will be crucial,” Raina added.
This has made the three-match ODI series against England very crucial for him to get back into rhythm before the impending Champions Trophy. Should he go back to his old-style measured approach or stick to the aggressive one that was the hallmark of India campaigns in the 2023 ODI World Cup and 2024 T20 World Cup? According to Raina, there is no change needed.
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“I think Rohit should continue playing aggressively. You saw how he batted in the ODI World Cup-even in the final, he maintained an attacking approach. So, I believe he will stick with it. Now, the question is who will open along with him-will it be Shubman Gill? Whenever they bat together, they maintain that same aggressive intent,” Suresh Raina observed.
