India has stormed into the Champions Trophy semifinals with two dominant victories, showcasing their strength with both bat and ball. Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli have led the charge with magnificent centuries, while the bowling unit has been formidable, even in the absence of the exceptional Jasprit Bumrah.
Former India cricketer Lalchand Rajput believes this Indian team possesses a ruthless streak that sets them apart. Confident in their ability, he foresees them lifting the trophy with ease. “This Indian team looks ruthless. They try to dominate and win every game. They don’t want to give the opponents a chance to come back into the game. That is the attitude. And the way they are playing, I think they should win the Champions Trophy convincingly,” Rajput told PTI.
Ahead of the tournament, there were lingering doubts regarding Kohli’s form, but the batting maestro silenced critics with a dazzling century against Pakistan—his 51st in ODIs. Rohit Sharma, meanwhile, has set the tempo with aggressive starts, consistently putting opposition bowlers on the back foot.
However, this attacking mindset comes with its own risks, as Rohit Sharma often loses his wicket after promising starts. Rajput hopes to see him convert one of these into a monumental innings. “So Virat got a 100. All boxes are ticked. Now it’s only up to Rohit to get a big 100,” he remarked.
Kohli’s brilliance continues to etch his name in cricketing history. During his recent innings, he became only the third batter after Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara to cross the 14,000-run mark in ODIs—achieving the milestone faster than anyone before him.
