Ahead of India’s first Champions Trophy match against Bangladesh in Dubai, captain Rohit Sharma expressed confidence in the team’s bowling depth, regardless of weather conditions. India has played several T20Is at the venue, which equips them for adaptability. Key players include multi-skilled bowlers Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, and Ravindra Jadeja, providing strategic depth. Rohit highlighted wrist-spinner Varun Chakravarthy’s potential despite limited ODI experience, praising his unique bowling style. Additionally, Mohammad Shami’s return to form post-injury will be crucial, as India aims to leverage its versatile squad to navigate various match situations effectively.
What if the skies are gray in Dubai? And what if there’s moisture, a touch of spice on the pitch, or a bit of breeze? No matter what conditions this venue presents to India, they possess the bowling depth to handle it.
“If it’s overcast, our bowling resources are well-equipped to tackle that,” he mentioned. “In conditions that favor bowlers, we have the personnel to take advantage. And if we bat under those conditions, our batters know precisely how to approach it.”
One of the key advantages of this India squad is the inclusion of “multi-skilled” players, Rohit noted. Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, and Ravindra Jadeja could all feature in the same playing XI. In the absence of their ace bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who is sidelined with an injury, these bowlers are likely to be crucial for Rohit throughout the tournament.
“Those three – Jadeja, Axar, and Washy – provide us with a unique edge in our game, enhancing our combination and depth in the squad. That’s why we aimed to select players with dual skills rather than just one.”
Among India’s dedicated bowling options is wrist-spinner Varun Chakravarthy. Although he has only played one ODI to date, his List A stats are remarkable, with 60 wickets taken in 24 matches at an impressive average of 14.80. He is a player of surprise, Rohit remarked.
“He tends to bowl limited variations in the nets. He sticks to one type of delivery, possibly to avoid revealing his variations, even to us. However, that’s a positive. He has weapons he wants to showcase at the right moment. I am completely fine with that.”
“He possesses something distinctive, which is why he’s with us. His performance over the last eight to nine months has been impressive. That’s why we brought him along to see what he can contribute to India on the grand stage.”
Another player Rohit is counting on is Mohammad Shami, who made his return to international cricket just a month ago after undergoing ankle surgery in early 2024. He bowled only 15.5 overs in two ODIs against England, claiming a wicket in each match. With Bumrah out, Shami’s form will be particularly critical to India’s success.
“What we wanted for Shami was to see him back in India colors more than anything else. Whether he took wickets or not was entirely secondary to us [during the England series].
“For a bowler like Shami, who has consistently delivered for us over the years, it’s merely about finding his rhythm again. We hope he can establish that early in this tournament.”
Andrew Fidel Fernando is a senior writer at ESPNcricinfo. @afidelf