Shikhar Dhawan expresses his worries for India in 2025 Champions Trophy: 'They will face a tough challenge'

Shikhar Dhawan played a pivotal role the last time India emerged victorious in the Champions Trophy. In 2013, he was named player of the tournament, scoring 363 runs in just five matches to lead his team to their second title. Dhawan is confident that India has what it takes to win the tournament again this year, but the absence of fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is a worrying factor for the team.

"I can’t look past India. I am quite confident about them—they have a solid team and played very well against England in their recent ODI series. But my concern is that they are going to miss Jasprit Bumrah. There’s no doubt he will be a huge loss, and they will feel it very strongly," Dhawan is quoted as saying by ICC.

"For me, he is the best bowler in the world, and his accuracy is hard to replicate. He is also a very calm character, which is crucial in a big ICC event like this," he stated.

'Keep an eye on Harshit Rana'

The BCCI confirmed Bumrah's unavailability for the tournament last week, stating that he was yet to recover from a lower back injury which he sustained during a long five-Test tour of Australia in January. Harshit Rana was named as his replacement.

"Harshit Rana’s inclusion is exciting — keep an eye on him, he could have a breakout tournament. I like his attitude; he’s a go-getter who isn’t afraid of challenges. We saw in the England series that he is in good form. If he seizes this opportunity, he could provide a real x-factor for India," Dhawan noted

Dhawan further stated that India's batting lineup is a huge plus for them. "There are many reasons to be optimistic about India. They have a well-balanced batting lineup with a mix of experience and youth. Shubman Gill, in particular, is so consistent, and I believe he will have a great tournament," Dhawan said.

“Rohit Sharma has regained form, Virat Kohli is there — it’s a top side that will be tough to stop. India performed well in the last Champions Trophy but fell short in the final. However, they played some amazing cricket, and the squad knows what they are capable of,” said Dhawan.

ICC Champions Trophy , ICC Champions Trophy Schedule , and Champions Trophy 2025 Points Table – stay ahead with real-time match updates, team standings, and insights. Check live cricket score , player stats, and ICC rankings of top players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli . Get expert analysis, match previews, and in-depth coverage of ICC CT 2025, IPL 2025 Schedule and IPL 2025, all on HT Crickit, powered by Hindustan Times – your trusted source for cricket news. .freemium-card h4{color:#fff; padding-bottom:20px;} .freemium-card .freemium-content .subcTxt{padding-bottom:16px; color:#fff;} .freemium-card .freemium-content{width: auto; max-width: inherit;} .freemium-card .freemium-content .subcTxt{max-width:inherit; font-size:18px; padding-top:0; line-height:24px} .freemium-card .btnSubc{margin} .freemium-card .btnSubc a{background:#000; color:#fff; min-width:auto; padding:5px 15px; border-radius:6px; font-size:16px; line-height:22px; font-weight:700;} .freemium-card{height:285px} @media (max-width: 767px) { .freemium-card h4{font-size:28px} .freemium-card .freemium-content{max-width:360px; padding: 20px;} .freemium-card{height:303px; background-position: 100% 0; } }