Ahmedabad: Virat Kohli’s indifferent form, KL Rahul’s struggles in the middle, and Mohammed Shami’s lack of rhythm with the new ball have raised concerns for India as they prepare for the Champions Trophy.
With the final ODI against England in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, the Men in Blue will be eager to iron out their flaws before the marquee tournament.
Two games, two clinical chases. The Men in Blue cruised home in Cuttack to complete the task, and now, as the action shifts to Ahmedabad, can India wrap up their Champions Trophy preparations in commanding fashion?
Skipper Rohit Sharma returned to his best on Sunday, silencing the critics with a vintage display.
"I really enjoyed being out there, scoring some runs for the team. Obviously, it was an important game with the series on the line as well. But yeah, I really broke it down into pieces, thinking about how I wanted to bat. It was important for a batter who gets set to bat as deep as possible, and that was my focus," Rohit said.
Rohit's timely century is a huge boost for India's Champions Trophy ambitions. However, Kohli’s lean patch has been a worrying factor, and the team will hope he rediscovers his golden touch in the final ODI.
India's young stars, Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer, have been in sublime form in the opening two ODIs, helping India secure the series victory.
Gill is a very, very classy player. I’ve seen him closely over the years, and he doesn’t seem to get overwhelmed by the situation. He is just so focused on what he needs to do in the middle," Rohit said.
However, Rahul has not had enough time in the middle, and his recent outings have been far from convincing.
The final ODI could be a crucial opportunity for the batsman to regain his confidence ahead of the Champions Trophy.
India's bowling unit has also faced challenges, particularly in the powerplay. Shami has struggled to hit his stride, and alongside Harshit Rana, he conceded 75 runs against the England openers in Cuttack. With Jasprit Bumrah still sidelined, will the Men in Blue turn to Arshdeep Singh in Ahmedabad to find early breakthroughs?
"We want to keep getting better as a team. I said it in the last post-match as well—there’s nothing specific that we want to work on, just overall as a team. We want to keep improving, both as individuals and as a unit. Everyone has a job to do, and we want to do it perfectly," Rohit said.
So, what lies in store in Ahmedabad? Can India deliver the perfect finish, or will the visitors stage a fightback? It’s the final dress rehearsal before the main event—don’t miss it!
