Before India’s tour of Australia, there was a question: Can India manage Jasprit Bumrah throughout the series? But by the Sydney Test, the question changed to: How much can Bumrah handle alone? He carried the burden of the Indian team on the tough Australian tour. This pressure led to a back injury, and now Bumrah is not part of the Indian squad for the Champions Trophy 2025.
Although Bumrah was initially included in the squad, doctors and medical reports confirmed he is not match-fit. This is a setback for India, as it weakens the bowling attack. However, India still has the ability to win the Champions Trophy without him. Let’s see how.
India’s Strength in ODI Cricket
Before the ODI series against England, India last played an ODI in August against Sri Lanka, where they lost both the match and the series. The main reason for this was poor batting. After this, India’s performance declined further. They lost a home Test series for the first time and also failed in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. This led to criticism from fans, with some even calling for senior players to retire.
However, things have changed. In the three-match ODI series against England, which was considered a rehearsal for the Champions Trophy, India performed brilliantly. They not only won all matches but also experimented successfully with team combinations.
Strengths of Team India
India’s main issue in recent months was batting, as red-ball cricket troubled Indian batsmen. However, the change in format and jersey also brought a change in form. England’s bowlers struggled against Indian batsmen.
Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill provided excellent starts. Their partnership has been outstanding since 2023, with an average of 72.27 in 27 matches, scoring 1,874 runs. Rohit’s aggressive batting has been a key factor. Since becoming captain in 2022, he has scored at an average of 51 with a strike rate of 119.
Shubman Gill is not as aggressive, but his ability to play according to the situation helps Rohit at the other end. Together, they score at a run rate of 6.99.
At number three, Virat Kohli needs no introduction. He scored a half-century in the last ODI against England but still struggles against deliveries moving away from him. However, Kohli has always performed in big tournaments, and the 2023 World Cup is proof of that.
Shreyas Iyer has solved India’s number four batting issue with his consistent performances. In the 2023 World Cup, he played crucial innings and became the first batsman to score 1,000 runs at number four with an average above 50 and a strike rate over 100.
India’s top four consist of right-handers, while at number five, Axar Patel provides a left-handed option. He has performed well with both bat and ball. The team has chosen KL Rahul as the wicketkeeper-batsman. According to coach Gautam Gambhir, Rahul is currently India’s best wicketkeeper-batsman.
At numbers six and seven, Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja form a strong all-rounder duo. They can turn matches in the final overs. The management seems to prefer KL Rahul over Rishabh Pant, possibly because they see Rahul as more reliable in the middle order.
Competition Among Bowlers
India will surely miss Bumrah, but their bowling attack is still strong. Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, and Harshit Rana will handle fast bowling, while Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, and Washington Sundar are the main spinners.
Harshit Rana impressed against England and may be Gambhir’s first choice. His variations will be useful on Dubai’s slow pitches. Shami was not in full rhythm against England, while Arshdeep and Shami were rotated throughout the series. It remains to be seen which two pacers will support Hardik Pandya in the Champions Trophy.
The spin department will likely see Jadeja and Axar supported by either Kuldeep or Varun. Varun is in great form and could be used as a surprise weapon.
Pitch Conditions in Dubai
India will play all their matches at the Dubai International Stadium, where pitches are usually slow and help spinners or pacers who use variations. The ball comes onto the bat, making scoring easy, but high scores like 350 may not be frequent.
Chasing is easier in Dubai due to dew in the evening, which makes bowling harder. This means the toss will be important. If India bats first, they will need to score extra runs to counter the dew factor.
Now, the big question remains: Can India complete their unfinished business from 2017 and win the Champions Trophy? Can they win another ICC trophy within a year? If India sticks to a strong team combination without too many experiments, they can be the most dangerous team in the tournament.
