India will face off against Bangladesh in the Champions Trophy 2025
The playing 11 for the upcoming match between India and Bangladesh in the Champions Trophy 2025 has been confirmed, along with the pitch report. Bangladesh has chosen to bat first in Dubai, but Rohit Sharma expressed his preference to field first. Despite the lack of expected dew, former England captain Nasser Hussain recommended batting first as the optimal strategy.
In the Champions Trophy 2025 opener between India and Bangladesh, Rohit Sharma’s team was asked to bowl first after Bangladesh won the toss in Dubai. Sharma expressed his preference to bowl first and announced that Harshit Rana was selected in the playing XI over Arshdeep Singh. Additionally, the team opted for three spinners in Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav.
Prior to the match, Rohit informed reporters that the criticism of India selecting five spinners for Dubai’s conditions was unfounded. He clarified, “There are two spinners, while the other three are all-rounders. I do not view them as five spinners. Those three individuals possess both batting and bowling capabilities. Other teams may have fast bowlers and all-rounders, but we focus on our strengths and build our team around them. Jadeja, Axar, and Washi offer a unique dimension to our game, our team composition, and our squad. They provide depth and versatility to our team, which is why we prioritize players with multiple skills rather than just one.”
According to former England captain Nasser Hussain, the pitch report in Dubai suggests that there will be no dew, making batting first a favorable option. Hussain noted that while the pitch may show some signs of wear and tear over the course of 100 overs, it is expected to remain dry throughout the match. Additionally, the groundsman has confirmed that there has been no dew in Dubai so far this year, indicating that it will not be a factor in the game. Hussain also mentioned that scores in Dubai tend to be slightly lower than those in Pakistan. This information was shared by Hussain during the official broadcast prior to the toss.
India playing XI: Rohit Sharma(C), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Harshit Rana
Bangladesh playing XI: Tanzid Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Najmul Hossain Shanto (C), Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Jaker Ali, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan, Mustafizur Rahman