The availability of the opening ceremony was involved when India welcomed the final group stage against New Zealand in the 2025 ICC Championship Trophy. Neither Captain Rohit Sharma nor Vice Captain Shubman Gill have raised questions about his fitness in the latest practice training held in Dubai before the critical conflict.
Rohit reportedly suffered a ham rope-bun movement in a high-risk encounter to Pakistan, while Gill has been battling the disease. With the semifinal already in place, India may be cautious and may renovate their match XI to ensure their key hitters are suitable for knockout matches.
Rohit Sharma’s Hamstring Dilemma: What’s Worrying?
Rohit Sharma’s absence from training was evident, although he attended off the field and closely monitored his teammates’ intense batting classes at the ICC Academy. The Indian captain seemed to have been injured while playing in the last game, and he briefly forced him to leave the field before he returned to the bat. He managed a 15-ball quick shot of 20% off and was fired by Shaheen Afridi’s searing York.
With the semi-finals approaching, team management in India may not want to risk amid a relatively irrelevant conflict. Hamstring issues can be tricky, and at this stage, setbacks can be expensive for the championship pursuit of blue men.
Shubman Gill’s illness increases concerns in India
This further complicates things even more if Rohit’s injury isn’t enough to make Shubman Gill unavailable in training. The brilliant opening of the Indian open fixture against Bangladesh was reportedly in the weather. His absence from the practice meeting shows that he is in doubt about participating in the upcoming competition.
Gill’s form has been a major advantage for India in this match as his ability to provide a positive and stable start played a role. If Jill is unable to recover in time and India does not have a direct backup opener in the team, other options may have to be explored.
Who can open to India in the absence of Rohit-Gill?
Unlike previous matches, India does not have a name reserve match in the championship trophy lineup. Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was a member of the interim lineup, was removed from office and received a bowling option in Varun Chakravarthy. This makes India’s choices limited.
The most viable option is KL Rahul, who has extensive experience in ODI. Rahul accumulated 915 runs in 22 innings, an impressive 43.57 at the top of the order. If India needs to beat its batting lineup again, his adaptability may prove beneficial.
Additionally, India might consider opening up Virat Kohli, his occasionally role in T20I. Despite its unconventionality, Kohli’s experience and ability to deal with new ball sports make him a reliable choice.
India vs New Zealand: What are the dangers?
Although both teams have booked their positions in the semifinals, the conflict between India and New Zealand is very important in determining the A-score of the group. The winner of this encounter will end the group, which may affect their semi-final opponents.
New Zealand has been in a strong position, with a pace attack led by Trent Boult and Lockie Ferguson proving the deadly death on the UAE stadium. If India combines temporary openness, they will have to navigate carefully in the early stages.
Will India take risks?
With the sight of the semifinals, India’s approach to this fixture will be fascinating. Will they take a break from Rohit and Gill to make sure they are at the peak of the knockout stage, or will they send out a full intensity XI to maintain their winning momentum?
The Indian camps remain silent on the availability of the duo, but fans and analysts will keep an eye on the update as match day approaches. If Rohit and Gill both sit down, it would be a rare opportunity for the Intermediate Order to show its depth and adaptability.
