They may have struggled lately, but the form of skipper Rohit Sharma and his old colleague Virat Kohli will be the key to the success of India in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, calculated former Battery Suresh Rainina on Tuesday. The Champions trophy will start in Pakistan from 19 February and will be closed on 9 March, but India will play all their matches in Dubai according to the hybrid model agreement signed by the parties involved. Speaking with Broadcaster Star Sports, Raina said: “The strike speed of Rohit Sharma has improved considerably after the ODI World Cup in 2023. Since then he has scored runs with a success rate of 119-120, making him one of India's best ODI batsmen.
“For Rohit and Virat I would say that if you have a strong record of previous versions, this gives you a lot of confidence. They complement each other well and both have the ability to score large runs. If they perform well, India, Champions Trophy -Campaign will benefit enormously.
Raina said about the spino department and team combination: “I think (Ravindra) Jadeja will certainly 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 performed consistently well.
“The fields in Dubai will offer some seam movement, but Spin will also play a role. That is why Kuldeep, Axar and Jadeja must be in top form. Rohit's choice of the team combination will be crucial.” Before the Champions trophy, India also plays an ODI series of three games against England at home, and Raina believed that the Kohli and Rohit will help to get some valuable playing time for the mega event.
“When it comes to cricket with white balls, Virat knows how to switch on and switch off. He has scored the most points against England, so his energy will automatically be at a different level. The three ODIs will be played in Nagpur, Ahmedabad and Cuttack -All high -scoring locations, “said Raina van Kohli, who struggled for runs in the Australia.
Raina shares his thoughts about the coming series and said that Rohit must go after the bowlers from the start, because it has also brought him success in the last ODI World Cup in 2023.
Raina said about his expectations of Rohit: “I think Rohit should play aggressively. You saw how he hit the ODI World Cup – he even attacked in the final. So I believe his approach will remain the same.
“The most important question is who will open next to him – will the Shubman (Gill) be? I remember that they play together, they retain an aggressive intention.” Raina also praised Rohit's captain.
“Rohit Sharma is an attacking captain. The way he uses his bowlers is commendable – Mohammad Shami at crucial moments and strategic trust on Spinners.
“When Rohit Scores runs, it also reflects in his captain. This can be his last ICC trophy as a captain, and if he wins, he becomes 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.”
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