India, who are all set to leave their whites behind and once again don the blue jersey, will play numerous white-ball matches, starting with the 5-match T20I series and 3 ODIs against England. However, what is coming into focus is their upcoming big tournament, the Champions Trophy 2025, which for many players might be their last.
The Indian team is coming off a disappointing 1-3 scoreline against Australia in the recently held Border-Gavaskar Trophy, but the team will look to change things around in the upcoming Champions Trophy. India, 2013 champions and one of the top teams in the white-ball format, still has many concerns surrounding their preparations, which may hamper their chances in the tournament. Take a look at the important concerns for India that need to be solved, otherwise, they may not be able to win the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s current form
Two big Indian assets, who are currently struggling to perform at their best, are Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Both are certainly not at their peak, whether in Test cricket or in the white-ball format. If we look at Virat Kohli’s performance in the Sri Lanka ODI series last year, he didn’t end it well. In the recently held Test series against Australia, aside from his famous hundred in Perth, he didn’t have much to show. As for Rohit Sharma, things have gotten worse in Test cricket.
In most of the recent Test matches India played, Rohit’s form was one of the reasons India failed to achieve big success. Although, since they are big players, we can expect them to get back on track soon. However, if the same scenario follows in the Champions Trophy, it could be a tough road for India in the upcoming tournament.
Jasprit Bumrah injury concerns
One of the major tension-filled moments came when we saw Jasprit Bumrah going for scans on Day 2 of the India vs Australia 5th Test. It was later revealed that he was suffering from back spasms, which restricted him from bowling on the crucial Day 3. As a result, the team lost the game to Australia by 4 wickets. Many believe that if Bumrah had been available, the result could have been in India’s favour. However, what remains is the injury scare surrounding Bumrah.
Yes, he came out to bat in the second innings but didn’t bowl. According to reports, there are chances he may miss the upcoming England white-ball series, especially the ODI series, which is now the focus. If that happens, it could be a major setback, as India needs him to be fully fit for the big games ahead. What if he misses the Champions Trophy, which no fan wants? If he fails to recover in time, it could reduce India’s chances of winning the 2025 Champions Trophy.
India Struggles at Dubai Stadium
There is no doubt that India has faced its fair share of struggles on slow wickets, especially in Dubai. Although not in ODIs, in T20 cricket, the team has had some poor matches, whether it was the 2021 India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup game or the 2022 Asia Cup. Both were shorter-format games, but they certainly grabbed attention as India struggled to make runs on that surface. Since India will play all their matches in Dubai, where they have a good overall record with 10 wins, 4 losses, and 1 tie from 15 matches, recent struggles on this ground are a concern. India will look to assess every parameter to achieve good outings at this venue.
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