The selection of five spinners in India's Champions Trophy squad has raised eyebrows, but captain Rohit Sharma on Wednesday defended the move, emphasising that three of them are all-rounders who bring significant value to the team.

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Varun Chakaravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav are the two specialist spinners, while Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar offer both bowling and batting capabilities.

"There are two spinners, and the other three are all-rounders. I don’t see them as just five spinners; those three can bat and bowl. Other teams might have fast-bowling all-rounders, but we play to our strength, which is spin," Rohit explained.

India’s fast-bowling options include Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, and Harshit Rana, with Hardik Pandya as the sole pace all-rounder. Jasprit Bumrah’s absence puts extra responsibility on Shami, who is still finding his rhythm after a recent injury.

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Rohit stressed that India’s preference for depth in batting influenced the squad composition. "Jadeja, Axar, and Washy give us a different dimension and a lot of depth. We wanted players with two skills rather than just one."

'We have arsenal to tackle conditions'

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With rain affecting Dubai in recent days, India might face overcast conditions in their opener against Bangladesh on Thursday. Rohit expressed confidence in his team’s preparation. "We have the arsenal to tackle such conditions. If the bowlers get help, they’ll exploit it, and the batters know what to do. The focus is on all seven or eight batters contributing. Even without a century, teams can get par or above-par scores if everyone chips in."

On Varun Chakaravarthy's inclusion, Rohit highlighted his uniqueness. "He doesn’t show many variations in the nets; maybe he saves them for the matches, which is good. He has something different, and that’s why he’s here. His performance over the last 8-9 months has been very impressive."

Rohit acknowledged that both Shami and Kuldeep are working their way back to full form after injuries. "Shami has played a few games since his return, and for us, it was more about getting him back in Indian colours than worrying about wickets. He looks fine, and for bowlers like him, it’s about finding their rhythm. The same goes for Kuldeep, who had a hernia operation and was out for two and a half months. The numbers may not show it, but for certain players, it’s just about getting back to playing. If these two are in form, our team looks very good."

India will hope their spin-heavy combination, backed by all-round depth and experienced pacers, helps them start their Champions Trophy campaign on a strong note.

(With inputs from agencies)