India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir has hit back at critics questioning Rohit Sharma’s form, insisting that the team management values his impact over mere statistics.
His remarks came after India stormed into the Champions Trophy 2025 final with a commanding victory over Australia in Dubai on Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters after the semi-final, Gambhir brushed aside concerns regarding Rohit’s future in international cricket, reiterating that the Indian captain’s aggressive approach at the top has been instrumental in setting the tone for the team.
"If your captain bats with such a tempo, it sends a very good signal to the dressing room that we want to be absolutely fearless and courageous," Gambhir said. "You evaluate from the stats; we evaluate from the impact. As journalists and experts, you look at numbers and averages. But as a coach, as a team, we don’t look at numbers or averages."
Rohit, who has scored 84 runs in three matches in the tournament, has not registered a big knock but has provided aggressive starts. His shift in approach, prioritising early attack over anchoring innings, has been evident since India’s successful 2023 World Cup campaign.
The Indian captain’s place in the team came under scrutiny following a poor Test season in 2024-25, but he responded with a century in an ODI series at home against England in February. While his Champions Trophy scores have not been substantial, his aggressive intent has alleviated pressure on the middle order, particularly on sluggish pitches in Dubai.
India eye ‘perfect game’ in final
India’s semi-final triumph over Australia was set up by a disciplined bowling performance led by Mohammed Shami, restricting the opposition to a below-par 265. The chase was anchored by Virat Kohli’s 84, with contributions from Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, and KL Rahul sealing the win in 48.1 overs.
Despite remaining unbeaten in the tournament, Gambhir maintained that India is yet to deliver a flawless performance.
"In international sport, you always want to keep improving. You never say you’ve ticked all the boxes. There’s always something to work on—batting, fielding, or bowling," he remarked. "We still haven’t played a perfect game. We have one more game to go, and hopefully, we can play a perfect game in the final."
India, who outclassed Australia with both bat and ball, also impressed with their fielding. Looking ahead to the final, Gambhir emphasised the need to stay focused.
"We want to stay humble and be ruthless on the field," he said.
India will face the winner of the second semi-final between New Zealand and South Africa, which will be played in Lahore on Wednesday. The final is scheduled for Sunday.
