India cricket team skipper Rohit Sharma missed Wednesday’s practice session at the ICC Academy in Dubai, with vice-captain Shubman Gill also missing out. Rohit is recuperating from a hamstring strain he suffered in the high-stakes match against Pakistan, while Gill was reported to be not feeling well, a lost chance for both of them ahead of the next match against New Zealand.
In their second league match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, India beat Pakistan by six wickets. Rohit was injured in the hamstring during the game for which he got temporary medical care from team doctors. He returned to bat after getting injured, making 20 runs off 15 balls with three fours and a six. Gill, on the other hand, showed his touch, making a key fifty against their arch-rivals.
During his sojourn at the training camp, Rohit Sharma did not participate but only observed and watched his colleagues undergo a strenuous practice session. There have been reports that he is set to miss the game against New Zealand for precautionary measures, keeping recovery at the top priority ahead of the pivotal knockout rounds.
Both India and New Zealand have already qualified for the semifinals of the Champions Trophy, while both Pakistan and Bangladesh are out of contention. This puts both the teams in a position where both teams will lay off their star players before the semifinals.
If Rohit is rested, a replacement will have to be made. Since there are only three openers allotted in the team, KL Rahul will be most likely to open with Gill. This shift will create a gap in the middle order, which will probably be taken by Rishabh Pant, making his Champions Trophy debut.
The probable XI includes Gill and Rahul as the openers, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, and Rishabh Pant as the middle order, while Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel will handle the lower middle order.
India can also choose to exclude star bowler Mohammad Shami, who took five wickets against Bangladesh in the tournament-opener but went wicketless against Pakistan. The team can choose to play novice seamers Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana to split the new ball, Pandya to follow as first change. Kuldeep Yadav must stay on as frontline spinner. India will play New Zealand this Sunday, March 2, in Dubai.
