Mumbai, February 2: Indian team head coach Gautam Gambhir has downplayed the extra significance of his side’s contest against arch-rival Pakistan at the upcoming ICC Men’s Champions Trophy, stating that every game is important and the goal is to win the trophy, not just a particular match.
All eyes will be on Dubai on February 23, when India takes on Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in a match that could be pivotal to both teams’ chances of qualifying for the knockout stages of the tournament.
While Gambhir acknowledges the emotional attachment associated with matches between India and Pakistan, he believes the clash in Dubai is just one step in India’s journey toward winning a third Champions Trophy title, following their triumphs in 2002 and 2013.
“Look, we do not go to the Champions Trophy thinking that the 23rd is the most important game for us. I think five games, all the games are important,” Gambhir told Star Sports at the annual Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) awards night in Mumbai on Saturday as quoted by ICC.
“The mission to go to Dubai is to win the Champions Trophy, not only win one particular game. But yes, if that is one game in the middle of winning the Champions Trophy, we are going to try and take it as seriously as possible.”
“And more importantly, I think when two countries, India and Pakistan, play against each other, obviously the emotions are really high, but ultimately the contest remains the same,” he concluded his point.
Just eight teams will compete in this year’s Champions Trophy, with India and Pakistan placed in Group A alongside Bangladesh and New Zealand. Only two teams from each group will advance to the knockout stages.
Gambhir highlighted the key difference between the Champions Trophy and the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, emphasizing the tournament’s high stakes and minimal margin for error.
“Champions Trophy is a completely different challenge as compared to the 50-over World Cup because literally every game is a make-or-break, so you cannot stop anywhere in this tournament,” Gambhir noted.
“So hopefully we are going to start off really well, because ultimately, if you want to go on and win the competition, you have to win five games.”
India has named an experienced 15-player squad for the tournament, with skipper Rohit Sharma joined by fellow big names Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami, Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja alongside the more youthful trio of Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Arshdeep Singh.
Gambhir knows it will take contributions from the entire squad for India to win the Champions Trophy and is backing his two most experienced players to step up and perform well.
Rohit and Kohli are two of the three surviving members from India’s successful Champions Trophy side that won the final against England at Edgbaston in 2013 and Gambhir thinks the duo can rise to the occasion once again.
“I think both Rohit and Virat, they add so much value to the dressing room. They add so much value to Indian cricket as well. They’ve got to play a massive role (in the Champions Trophy),” Gambhir added.
“And I have said it before as well, those guys are so hungry, they want to play for the country. They have the passion to play for the country and deliver for the country,” he concluded.
India squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja.
India’s Group Stage Fixtures:
February 20 – India vs Bangladesh, Dubai
February 23 – India vs Pakistan, Dubai
March 2 – India vs New Zealand, Dubai.–(ANI)
