Gautam Gambhir Backs Rohit Sharma’s Impactful Leadership Ahead of Champions Trophy 2025 Final
Head coach Gautam Gambhir strongly defended Rohit Sharma’s leadership after India’s emphatic semi-final victory over Australia in the Champions Trophy 2025. Addressing critics questioning Rohit’s form, Gambhir emphasized that the team values impact over statistics.
“You evaluate from the stats; we evaluate from the impact. If your captain plays fearless cricket, it sends a strong message to the dressing room,” Gambhir asserted. Despite scoring 84 runs in three matches, Rohit’s aggressive starts have provided India with crucial momentum, a strategy he successfully employed in the ODI World Cup 2023 and T20 World Cup 2024.
India dominated Australia in the semi-final, chasing 265 in 48.1 overs. Virat Kohli’s composed 84, along with vital contributions from Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, and KL Rahul, sealed the win. Mohammed Shami led a disciplined bowling attack, restricting Australia to a below-par total.
Despite India’s unbeaten run, Gambhir urged the team to strive for perfection in the final. “We still haven’t played a perfect game. There’s always room to improve,” he said.
India will face the winner of the New Zealand vs. South Africa semi-final on Sunday, March 9, in Dubai.
