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Former Team India cricketer Piyush Chawala shared insights on the importance of domestic cricket and the “Men in Blue” prospect in the Champions Trophy 2025.
Speaking to ANI, Piyush Chawla discussed the evolving dynamics of the Ranji Trophy due to the presence of the senior Indian players.
Piyush Chawla stated the importance of the Ranji Trophy in shaping the careers of youngsters, especially with the presence of the Indian stalwarts.
“Ranji is very important. You play on different pitches, different types of grounds, and face different kinds of bowlers. Recently, we have seen players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli participating, which is a huge learning opportunity for young players. Getting to play alongside these legends helps them develop their game in a big way,” he said.
With the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) making it compulsory for international players to feature in the domestic league whenever not on national dusty, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, and KL Rahul made their presence in the Ranji Trophy.
However, the performances of senior players in domestic cricket have been mixed. Rohit and Yashasvi failed to leave a mark in their first innings against Jammu & Kashmir, scoring three and four, respectively. Rohit showed some promise in the second innings with a quick 28 off 35 balls but couldn`t steer his team to victory. Jaiswal, too, struggled, managing just 26 in his second outing.
In Delhi, fans gathered in huge numbers at the Arun Jaitley stadium to witness Virat Kohli score runs at the domestic level yet again. However, the crowd`s excitement went down as the stalwart was only able to score six runs.
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With a flawless position and technique, Virat executed a picture-perfect straight drive to find the boundary rope. But on the following delivery, Sangwan pulled his length back to beat Virat`s bat and send the off-stump cartwheeling in the air. With a look of disbelief on the faces of fans, Virat returned with a score of 6(14).
Since 2020, he has played 39 Tests, scoring 2,028 runs at an average of 30.72, with just three centuries and nine fifties. His highest score in this period is 186.
Kohli ended the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle with 751 runs in 14 matches at an average of 32.65, including two centuries and three fifties. His struggles extended across all formats, as he finished 2024 with just 655 international runs in 23 matches at a poor average of 21.83.
In 10 Tests last year, Kohli managed only 417 runs at an average of 24.52, scoring just one century and a single fifty, marking one of the most challenging years of his illustrious career.
Piyush Chawla is also one of the most successful bowlers in the Indian Premier League (IPL) history. As of May 2024, Piyush Chawla has 184 wickets to his name in the IPL.
Additionally, he holds a special place in Kolkata Knight Riders` history, having scored the winning runs in the 2014 IPL final, securing the championship for his team.
Speaking about the Champions Trophy 2025, Piyush Chawla said that India has a balanced squad but stated that knockout matches will be dependent on the performance on that particular day.
“The Champions Trophy is all about how you play your cricket on that particular day. The team looks very good and balanced. We are obviously expecting to finish in the top four, but after that, it`s all about the knockouts. It comes down to how the team performs on that given day,” he remarked.
India has named a strong 15-member squad for the tournament, featuring stalwarts like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja. Youngsters such as Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Arshdeep Singh have also been included, adding fresh energy to the squad.
One of the most anticipated matches of the tournament will take place on February 23, when India faces arch-rivals Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The clash is expected to be a key encounter in determining the knockout-stage qualifications for both teams.
With domestic cricket gaining prominence once again and India preparing for a high-stakes ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign, Piyush Chawla`s insights shed light on the evolving cricketing landscape and the impact of seasoned players on the next generation.
(With ANI Inputs)
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