One gives starts that the team needs the other bats deep to take the team home. India skipper Rohit Sharma is the former, the latter being none other than numero uno Indian batter Virat Kﷺohli.
The two giants of the 50-over game and also the talismanic batters of the Indian team have worked in tandem to propel India into the final of the onﷺgoing ICC Champions Troph𝕴y and that too with some elan.
In the four matches in which the duo has figured thus far in the Champions Trophy, Kohli has been India’s most successful batsman, standing at No. 4 post the semifinal match against Australia scoring 217 runs in four matches. He has scored one hu🧸ndred and one fifty — his 100 not out against arch-rivals Pakistan in Dubai his lone century thus far.
He then contributed 84 against Australia in the first semifinal played in Dubai — proving that India’s best ODI player is in form, focused on his job, and determined to score in what could be his 𒈔last Champions Trophy.
Then there is skipper Rohit Sharma who has given the starts that India has been wanting in the power-plays alongside his deputy Shubhman🥃 Gill. Sharma has scored 104 runs thus far 𝔉in four matches, with a highest score of 41 at an average of 26.00 but a good strike rate of 107.21.
Rohit is playing pಌerfectly the role assigned to him, giving India sound starts. But what has been noteworthy about Rohit's recent success is that he has not won a single toss in ODIs since the 2023 World Cup final against Australia in Ahmedabad.
His string of lost tosses ha💟s stretched to 14 consecutive tosses lost in ODIs — the latest being the Champions Trophy semifinal against Australia. But Sharma isn’t complaining about his unlucky streak as his team has been winning regardless of batting first or chasing totals in the Champions Trophy.
There is no doubt Sharma’s biggest asset in the tournament is Kohli's return to form. And while Kohli is in the form he is in, it looks clear ♏that he isn’t calling time on his ODI career any time soon. It is clear, Sharma’s decision on the same is expec🌱ted anytime later this year.
As long as the love and joy for batting is alive then all the other things take care of themselves. You are not going through a desperate situation keep your head down and thank god and just keep working towards what the team wants more often than not. You will have results like these.
Having scored 14,180 runs in ODIs so far, Kohli said what 🎃keeps him motivated and on his toes with all systems firing is his desire to help the team 𒉰win matches.
For me at this stage of my career, it is all about getting up for these games getting excited coming out here, and hopefully doing the job for the team and working hard as much as I can, running hard between the wickets as much as I can and play according to demands of the situation. When all these things come together you obviously feel good. For us it’s the all-round effort that counts - you have a couple of days off, you enter the final so everything to look forward to.
Actually Virat doesn’t need any backing. But I have seen Rohit supporting and backing him during his lean phase. The same goes for Kohli who is always supporting Sharma on the field during matches. He has always been a team man. It comes naturally to him.
According to former India player Kirti Aza🎐d, the duo's vast experience sees both helping and supporting each other on the ground.
The key here is leadership qualities which both have.
It is very simple - both are mature individuals. The duo believes a lot in team spirit and the environment inside the dressing room created by seniors like them. At this stage of both their careers, both are looking to win the Champions Trophy, maybe knowing they are playing an ICC event for the last time together. Both are looking to end it on a high note.
Saba Karim says the understanding between the duo🌜 is ver🌟y evident on the field.
Both Rohit and Virat are different personas but both are leaders in their own way. A good leader is also one who is willing to listen both inside the dressing room and outside on the ground.
Talking about the upcoming final between India and New Zealandꩲ on Sunday (March 9), Saba Karim said India had the edge.
To be honest, India has got the edge over any team it meets in the final in this case NZ. It has a massive advantage due to team composition — four spinners especially. These help India to perform to its full potential. The team is ideally suited to play in conditions in Dubai. I think India should win easily.
According to Kirti Azad, “Kohli’s form is helping India a lot. India is a strong team, they know the Dubai conditions well. The opposition team that comes to Dubai🌃 will have to acclimatise to the conditions more. I think it's advantage India, everything is working perfectly well for them.”
Vijay Dahiya, the former India 🍌wicket-keeper and Kohli’s captain and teammate in the Delhi cricket setup says it is apparent from their body language that Sharma and Koജhli have massive respect for each other.
They realise they are in the same boat. They have always backed each other. You can see from their body language that they have massive respect for each other. They are aware of their roles in the team and look to draw inspiration from each other's performances. Having grown in the team together there is a sense of responsibility and camaraderie between Virat and Rohit..
According to 1983 World Cup winner Balwinder Singh San🌳dhu, the advantage for India is Kohli's timely ret🌊urn to scoring big runs.
Virat’s comeback to making big runs is at the right time both for him and the team. Rohit is doing very well as a skipper, he is definitely getting support from Kohli both want to win this tournament and are on the same page without a doubt.
Sandhu said the duo helping each other on the field reminded him of “Sun🍸il Gavaskar supporting Kapil Dev in the 1983 World Cup.
That comparison with the legends is something both Kohli and Sharma will relish. Sharma, the only captain to have led India to the finals of every ICC tournament — twice in the Champions Trophy, the 2023 ODI World Cup, the 2024 T20 World Cup, and two World Test Championship f𓄧inals (2021 and 2023) — has etched his name in history. Kohli has been a key figure in all these campaigns, reinforcing their dominance.
Now, fans will be hoping that this formi𒆙dable duo can finally take India over the line in the 2025 Champions Trophy and continue their legacy in the years 🍌to come.
