Indian cricket team skipper Rohit Sharma expressed his aspirations to lead the Men in Blue to victory in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, while also reminiscing about his fond memories at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Rohit spoke at an event celebrating 50 years of Wankhede, a venue that has hosted historic cricketing moments, including India’s 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup triumph and Virat Kohli’s record-breaking 50th ODI century during the 2023 World Cup semifinals.
Discussing the ICC Champions Trophy, Rohit shared his excitement and commitment:
“We will try our best (to win the title). It is always a dream to represent the Indian team in any ICC trophy. We will embark on another dream. I am sure that when we reach Dubai, 140 crore people will be behind us. We will try to do everything we can to bring the trophy back again at Wankhede.”
Wankhede Memories and Achievements
Rohit fondly recounted his early days watching Ranji Trophy matches at Wankhede as a 14-year-old and spoke about the stadium’s unparalleled atmosphere:
“The crowd does not disappoint here, no matter which team you play—India, Mumbai, or Mumbai Indians (MI). When we won the 2007 T20 World Cup and celebrated it here, I dreamt of bringing the World Cup trophy to Wankhede. Luckily, we celebrated the 2024 T20 WC victory in Mumbai and Wankhede. The atmosphere here is different, and even players not from Mumbai love playing here.”
Reflecting on the grand celebration of India’s 2024 T20 World Cup victory at Wankhede, Rohit added:
“When we were in Barbados, we could not go out due to a hurricane. We celebrated as a team, but celebrating the win with your people is special. There were so many people watching us, celebrating with us.”
ICC Champions Trophy Details
The ICC Champions Trophy will take place from February 19 to March 9, 2025. Hosted by Pakistan and UAE under a hybrid model, India will play its group matches in Dubai. The tournament features eight teams divided into two groups, with 15 50-over matches scheduled.
India’s group, Group A, includes Pakistan, New Zealand, and Bangladesh. Group B features defending Cricket World Cup champions Australia, alongside Afghanistan, England, and South Africa.
India’s fixtures:
- February 20: India vs Bangladesh, Dubai
- February 23: India vs Pakistan, Dubai
- March 2: India vs New Zealand, Dubai
India Squad for ICC Champions Trophy
Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja.