ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Rohit Sharma, Mohammed Shami to miss India vs New Zealand match? KL Rahul gives MASSIVE update
New Delhi: As concerns over the fitness of Rohit Sharma and Mohammed Shami loom before India’s final group-stage game against New Zealand in the 2025 Champions Trophy, star wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul shared a crucial update during a pre-match press briefing.
To provide some context, Shami was forced off the field due to fitness issues after completing just three overs, during which he received significant attention from the physio. However, he managed to return and remained on the field for the remainder of the innings. In the match against Pakistan, Shami bowled a total of eight overs, conceding 43 runs but failing to take a wicket.
Likewise, Rohit Sharma, the Indian captain, left the field after the 10th over and was absent for a few overs. Upon his return, it was evident that he wasn’t fully fit. Rohit managed to score 20 runs from 15 balls while batting. In the post-match presentation, he revealed that he was struggling with a hamstring problem.
KL Rahul gives huge updates:
Rahul put everyone’s mind at ease by confirming that there were no significant fitness issues with Rohit and Shami, adding that the Indian team has no concerns at the moment. However, the 32-year-old mentioned that a better understanding of their fitness would come after the training session on Friday evening in Dubai.
“Fitness-wise, there are no concerns about anyone missing a game as far as I know,” said Rahul.
Following a week-long break, India is scheduled to take the field for their semi-final match on Tuesday, March 4th, just under 48 hours away. With such a tight turnaround before this important knockout game, it’s unclear whether India will choose to rest players against New Zealand, especially as they’ve already secured qualification. Rahul has refrained from making any remarks on the matter, leaving fans and experts to guess the team’s approach for the upcoming encounter.
“There are temptations on trying different players before semis but I am not sure that will be the case. There is little time before semi so you would want players to get max time. This is my version, things could change. I am not part of leadership group,” said Rahul.