Sri Lankan spin legend Muttiah Muralitharan believes India’s chances of winning the upcoming Champions Trophy will depend heavily on the form of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Speaking at an event on Monday (Feb 10), Muralitharan emphasised that subcontinental teams will have a well-rounded bowling attack suited for the conditions in Pakistan and the UAE.

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The form of India’s star batters has been a key talking point ahead of the eight-team tournament, which begins on February 19. Rohit had silenced critics with a brilliant 32nd ODI century against England, while Kohli has yet to return to his best since scoring an unbeaten 100 in the Perth Test against Australia last November.

“It was an important game with the series on the line, so I broke my batting approach into pieces. ODIs are longer than T20s but shorter than Tests, so I wanted to structure my innings accordingly. My focus was to bat deep,” Rohit said in the post-match presentation.

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“Definitely, because they are world-class players. Class is permanent, and form is only temporary. They will get back to scoring runs,” Muralitharan was quoted saying to PTI Videos.

'Virat will get there too'

"Rohit has already found form with a century, and Virat will get there too. India needs both of them to be at their best to win the tournament," he added.

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Muralitharan also highlighted the crucial role spinners will play in the tournament, given the conditions in Pakistan and the UAE. "Spin will be vital because the pitches in these countries favour spinners. Teams like India, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh all have strong spin attacks," he said.

He further noted that India has one of the most balanced attacks, with a mix of quality spinners and fast bowlers. "Pakistan also has a well-rounded bowling lineup. Subcontinental teams are well-equipped for these conditions," he concluded.

(With inputs from agencies)