Not Yashasvi Jaiswal… Rohit-Gill will open in Champions Trophy, claims former cricketer

Last updated:January 24, 2025, 07:35 IST

Shubman Gill has been made the vice-captain of the Indian team for the Champions Trophy. Meanwhile, Dinesh Karthik has said that Gill will open for Team India.

New Delhi. The Indian men’s cricket team will go to Dubai next month to participate in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Pakistan is the host of this tournament, but due to strained political relations between India and Pakistan, the Indian team will not go to Pakistan and will play its matches in Dubai. Shubhman Gill has been made the vice-captain of the Indian team for this. Meanwhile, Dinesh Karthik has said that Gill will open for Team India.

Karthik said in Cricbuzz’s HeyCBwithDK show, “Just because Shubman Gill has been declared the vice-captain, it is (the selectors) their way of saying that he/she will start and play all the matches. Therefore, Gill will open in this Champions Trophy.”

When the member of the Indian team that won the 2007 T20 World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy was asked about his/her opinion about the Indian team for this eight-team ICC event, he/she said that there would be a replacement for either Ravindra Jadeja or Axar Patel. And could have been a fast bowler, because both are left arm spinners and lower order batsmen.

Karthik said, “I feel only one thing. Could there have been one fast bowler in place of two left-arm spinning all-rounders? I think he/she had difficulty deciding which of the two to take. That was the only thing. Could it have been Harshit Rana or Siraj as the next fast bowler? That was the only thing. Apart from that, I think he/she has chosen a proper team. I expected Varun Chakraborty to be there, but he/she has chosen Kuldeep Yadav, that is also fine.”