India skipper Rohit Sharma seemed to have trouble with the hamstring after chasing early on against Pak; Rishabh Pant or Washington Sundar are possible replacements.
So far, it has been a smooth campaign for India at the Champions Trophy, but ahead of their last group match against New Zealand, they are sweating over the availability of skipper Rohit Sharma.During their match on Sunday, in the early part of Pakistan’s innings, Rohit was seen struggling with his hamstring after a long chase to the boundary. Later on, he even walked off the field for a brief while with Shubman Gill taking charge.
However, Rohit returned and organized his team before starting the batting alongside Gill in India’s successful pursuit. Yet, as India practiced on Wednesday following a two-day rest, Rohit was the only main batsman who did not participate in the nets. Instead, he remained inside and was subsequently observed collaborating with the strength and conditioning coach as well as the physiotherapist. Although he did jog for some time, he wasn’t exerting himself completely.
With India set to face New Zealand in their semifinal on Tuesday just a day later, the next few days could determine if Rohit will play on Sunday or not. Since the team has reached the semifinals, they can choose not to take a chance with Rohit in the match against New Zealand. However, after Afghanistan’s victory over England, a match that India closely monitored after the three-hour nets session, they remain uncertain about who their semifinal opponents will be. They will have a clear understanding of whom they will compete against following the weekend’s matches.
Due to concerns about Rohit’s fitness, India is considering Rishabh Pant and Washington Sundar as alternatives. Both left-handed players practiced rigorously, switching between the two nets where spinners and fast bowlers were working.
Nonetheless, if Rohit is truly not available for the match, it will be intriguing to observe who partners with Gill as an opener.
Edited by Shvetank Maurya
Also Read: https://theglobalic.com/2025/02/26/indias-dual-cricket-challenge-bcci-balances-ipl-and-test-focus/
