Such is the format of the Champions Trophy that even one defeat can jeopardise a team’s chances of making it to the semifinals, and Pakistan must be licking its wounds while thinking that after their loss in the tournament opener against New Zealand on Wednesday in Karachi. But focus shifts to India’s big stars in match number two, as stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma take the field against Bangladesh in another Group-A game, this time in Dubai.
The forced fourth venue for the tournament — the Dubai International Cricket Stadium — was brought in by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after India refused to play in Pakistan and the tournament turned hybrid.
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Bangladesh can be considered the weakest team on paper in Group A, but they have upset teams in the past in big tournaments. In India’s case, mind rolls back to 2007, when the defeat against Bangladesh in a group game of the ODI World Cup haunted India until they exited the tournament before the knockouts.
India announced their preparedness for the Champions Trophy by mauling England 3-0 in an ODI series at home, which also saw Rohit and Kohli getting some much needed runs under their belt. But losing Jasprit Bumrah to a back injury came as a jolt at the doorstep of the Champions Trophy, which has turned the fast-bowling unit a little deficient — considering Mohammed Shami has just returned from a year-long injury layoff, Arshdeep Singh is short on ODI experience and Bumrah’s replacement Harshit Rana is still finding his feet in international cricket.
In contrast, the batting wears a settled look with Shubman Gill opening with Rohit, followed by Kohli, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul or Rishabh Pant as wicketkeeper. Axar Patel’s promotion as a batter and his recent success against England adds a left-handed batter to the mix in the line-up, a role that his fellow all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja too can perform. It also allows India to play with three spinners and still have two pacers in the playing eleven.
The pitch in Dubai historically has had something in it for both bowlers and batters, with spinners getting assistance as it wears down.
Another team looking closely at this contest will be Pakistan, who have the big must-win match against India next on February 23. One more defeat will virtually mean curtains for the fancied hosts, which is not how they would want to welcome the return of an ICC event to the country after 29 years.
Their heavy loss to the Kiwis by 60 runs in Karachi on Wednesday has let the home fans down, leaving much to be desired from both batters and bowlers who will have to come up with something special against India in three days’ time in different conditions in Dubai.