India captain Rohit Sharma will lead the Men in Blue in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and former batter Suresh Raina feels this could be his last ICC trophy as captain and he would like to win it.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli return to the format they ace during 2023 as they finished the ICC World Cup as the top two run-getters. But they also come to the ODIs on the back of poor form with the bat in red-ball cricket recently.
However, Suresh Raina feels that the duo will be key to India's success in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The tournament begins on February 19 in Pakistan, while India plays its games in Dubai.
"Rohit Sharma's strike rate has improved significantly after the ODI World Cup in 2023. Since then, he has scored runs at a strike rate of 119-120, making him one of India's best ODI batsmen.
For Rohit and Virat, I would say that when you have a strong record of past performances, it gives you a lot of confidence. They complement each other well, and both have the skill to score big runs. If they perform well, India's Champions Trophy campaign will benefit immensely,” Suresh Raina told Star Sports.
India is placed in Group A with Bangladesh, New Zealand and Pakistan. They will play Bangladesh on February 20, Pakistan on February 23, and New Zealand on March 2.
Speaking about the spin department and team combination, Raina said, "I think (Ravindra) Jadeja will definitely play because of his effectiveness in ODIs. Kuldeep (Yadav) has not played a match since his injury, but we also have Axar Patel, who has been consistently performing well.
The pitches in Dubai will offer some seam movement, but spin will also play a role. That's why Kuldeep, Axar, and Jadeja need to be in top form. Rohit's choice of team combination will be crucial."
Before the Champions Trophy, India will play a three-match ODI series at home against England, which Raina believes will allow Kohli and Rohit to acquire crucial game time ahead of the huge tournament.
"When it comes to white-ball cricket, Virat knows how to switch on and switch off. He has scored the most runs against England, so his energy will be at a different level automatically. The three ODIs will be played in Nagpur, Ahmedabad, and Cuttack -- all of which are high-scoring venues," Raina said of Kohli.
Raina shared his opinion on the England ODI series, saying Rohit should continue to go after the bowlers from the start, as it led to his success in the previous ODI World Cup in 2023.
"I think Rohit should play aggressively. You saw how he batted in the ODI World Cup -- he was attacking even in the final. So, I believe his approach will remain the same. The key question is who will open alongside him -- will it be Shubman (Gill)? I remember, whenever they play together, they maintain an aggressive intent,” Raina said.
"Rohit Sharma is an attacking captain. The way he utilizes his bowlers is commendable -- bringing in Mohammad Shami at crucial moments and relying on spinners strategically. When Rohit scores runs, it also reflects in his captaincy. This could be his last ICC trophy as captain, and if he wins, he will become the first Indian player to win four ICC trophies.
"He has already won the T20 World Cup, and securing the Champions Trophy would be a remarkable achievement. He will be motivated to make it happen, but scoring runs will be crucial for him,” Raina signed off.
(PTI inputs)
