Champions Trophy: Rohit doubtful for New Zealand match; unwell Gill misses training
Sports, Cricket: Rohit could miss New Zealand's Champions Trophy tie on precautionary grounds to avoid aggravating the injury ahead of crucial knockout games.
India captain Rohit Sharma skipped Wednesday’s training at the ICC Academy facility in Dubai, and his deputy Shubman Gill was nowhere to be seen during the scheduled three-hour practice session under the lights, per the latest reports. While Rohit is nursing a hamstring injury he suffered during India’s marquee clash against Pakistan, Gill was unwell, thus missing India’s first training session ahead of the New Zealand tie.
Against Pakistan in India’s second league match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which the Men in Blue won by six wickets, Rohit injured his hamstring with the team doctors addressing it briefly during Pakistan's innings. He returned to batting during India’s chase, scoring 20 off 15 balls, including three fours and a six. Besides, his opening partner Gill was on song against the arch-rivals, hitting a crucial fifty.
Per Cricbuzz, Rohit was present at the venue but just as an onlooker, observing the batters go hard in an intense training session. The report further suggests that Rohit might consider giving the Kiwi game a miss on precautionary grounds to avoid aggravating the injury ahead of crucial knockout games.
With India and New Zealand already qualified for the Champions Trophy semis, with the hosts and defending champions Pakistan and Bangladesh knocked out of the home event, the two teams can afford to rest their key players ahead of their respective semis ties.
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Changes in batting order
Should Rohit decide against playing the New Zealand match, the management will have to bring in his replacement, and considering the selected 15 had not more than three designated openers, KL Rahul will open with Gill.
With Rahul returning to the top order, he leaves a space vacant in the middle, which the gloveman Rishabh Pant will fill in, playing his maiden Champions Trophy match.
Gill and Rahul will likely open, with Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant comprising the middle order, while Hardik Pandya and the two left-arm all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel will take care of the lower middle order.
India could also rest ace seamer Mohammad Shami, who picked a five-for in the side’s tournament opener against Bangladesh but was wicketless against Pakistan in the next game.
The team management could field two rookie seamers, Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana, sharing the new ball, with Pandya coming in as a first change. Frontline spinner Kuldeep Yadav is expected to retain his place.
India will face New Zealand this Sunday (Mar 2) in Dubai.
(With inputs from agencies)