Pakistan contest no extra significance as Gambhir plots India's Champions Trophy path
The India coach knows exactly what his team needs to do if they are to claim a third Champions Trophy title to their collection.
India coach Gautam Gambhir has played down the extra relevance of his side's contest against arch-rival Pakistan at the upcoming ICC Men's Champions Trophy by declaring each match at the tournament is of equal importance.
All eyes will be on Dubai on 23 February when India take on Pakistan at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, in a match that is sure to be pivotal to the fortunes of each side as they attempt to qualify for the knockout stages of the event.
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While Gambhir knows the added emotional attachment associated with matches between India and Pakistan, the coach believes the clash set for Dubai is just one step his side must pass if they want to claim a third Champions Trophy title to the ones they won in 2002 and 2013.
"Look, we don't go to the Champions Trophy thinking that the 23rd is the most important game for us. I think five games, all the games are important," Gambhir told Star Sports at the annual BCCI awards night in Mumbai on Saturday.
"The mission to go to Dubai is to win the Champions Trophy, not only win one particular game. But yes, if that is one game in the middle of winning the Champions Trophy, we're going to try and take it as seriously as possible."
"And more importantly, I think when two countries, India and Pakistan, play against each other, obviously the emotions are really high, but ultimately the contest remains the same."
Match highlights as India won their third clash of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 against Pakistan by a margin of seven wickets in Ahmedabad.
Just eight teams will battle it out for this year's Champions Trophy, with India and Pakistan joined by Bangladesh and New Zealand in a tricky Group A with just two teams progressing to the knockout stages of the event.
Gambhir noted the major difference when comparing the tournament to the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup and knows there is little margin for error during the event.
"Champions Trophy is a completely different challenge as compared to the 50-over World Cup because literally every game is a make-or-break, so you can't stop anywhere in this tournament," Gambhir noted.
"So hopefully we're going to start off really well, because ultimately, if you want to go on and win the competition, you have to win five games."
Virat Kohli hit 78* from 61 balls
India have named an experienced 15-player squad for the tournament, with skipper Rohit Sharma joined by fellow big names Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami, Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja alongside the more youthful trio of Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Arshdeep Singh.
Every ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025 squad
Gambhir knows it will take contributions from the entire squad for India to win the Champions Trophy and is backing his two most experienced players to step up and perform well.
Rohit and Kohli are two of the three suriviving members from India's successful Champions Trophy side that won the final against England at Edgbaston in 2013 and Gambhir thinks the duo can rise to the occasion once again.
"I think both Rohit and Virat, they add so much value to the dressing room. They add so much value to Indian cricket as well. They've got to play a massive role (in the Champions Trophy)," Gambhir added.
"And I've said it before as well, those guys are so hungry, they want to play for the country. They have the passion to play for the country and deliver for the country."
India squad: 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.
India's Group Stage Fixtures:
20 February - India vs Bangladesh, Dubai
23 February - India vs Pakistan, Dubai
2 March - India vs New Zealand, Dubai