Updated 19 February 2025 at 22:48 IST
'Not Looking At Them As Spinners': Rohit Sharma Breaks Silence On Team India's Spin-focused Strategy For Champions Trophy
Team India's Test and ODI captain, Rohit Sharma, has supported the BCCI selectors' recommendation to field five spinners in the Champions Trophy squad.
Champions Trophy 2025: Rohit Sharma , the Test and ODI captain of Team India, has backed up the BCCI selectors' call to include five spinners in the side for the Champions Trophy . The skipper pointed out that three spinners — Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar — were all-rounders and added intricate value to their squad in the marquee ICC tournament.
Rohit Sharma Defends Team India's Spin-Heavy Strategy For Champions Trophy 2025
Team India's strategy to include an abundance of spin bowlers in the squad sparked an enormous debate. The selectors' unconventional strategy did not settle well among the fans, as many believe the plan could backfire. Team India has a lot on the line this year as they emerged as the runner-up in the tournament's previous edition, and the Men in Blue would have a point to prove this year. Amid the scrutiny, skipper Rohit Sharma has defended the move.
"There are two spinners, and the other three are all-rounders, so I am not looking at them as five spinners, those three guys can bat and can bowl also. In the rest of the teams, the fast bowlers are all-rounders, so they say that they have taken six fast bowlers, which is good, but we play to our strength (spin).
"Jadeja, Axar, Washy, give us a different dimension to our squad and add a lot to this team and give us a lot of depth, that is why we wanted to try and get the players who can have two skills rather than one skill," Rohit Sharma said to the reporters on Wednesday, as quoted by PTI.
Rohit Sharma Speaks Out On Varun Chakravarthy's Inclusion In CT Squad
Rohit Sharma also spoke about Varun Chakravarthy's inclusion, who was brought in by replacing Yashasvi Jaiswal in the squad. The skipper added Chakravarthy has a special weapon that he can out to use when it matters the most.
"He doesn't throw many variations in the net. He throws the ball in the same way. Maybe he doesn't even want to show us what he has (laughs). But that is a good thing. He has got a certain weapon that he wants to put out there when it actually matters. I am more than happy if he wants to do that. But he has got something different which is why he is here with us. Whatever we have seen of him in the last 8-9 months, it has been very impressive," Rohit added.
Team India will be in action when they would face Bangladesh at the ICC Champions Trophy on February 20, 2025. The match will take place at the Dubai International Stadium.
Published By : Pavitra Shome
Published On: 19 February 2025 at 22:43 IST