Virat Kohli Takes One-Handed Stunner, Team India In Jovial Spirits Ahead Of Champions Trophy Opener

Team India enter the Champions Trophy 2025 in great form, having recently whitewashed England 3-0 in a home ODI series. Captain Rohit Sharma seems to have found his groove, smashing his 32nd ODI ton during the series, while Virat Kohli also struck a fifty. Despite the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, India remain one of the favourites for the trophy. The change in form has also seemingly seen a change in mood inside the Indian camp, with BCCI releasing a video of players training in Dubai in a jovial mood and in harmony.

The training video, just over two minutes long, showed glimpses about the bustling atmosphere within the Indian dressing room.

Captain Rohit Sharma could be seen lending some batting advice. “Time the ball. If you beat the cover fielder, it’s a boundary,” were his words of wisdom.

Rohit eventually took to the nets, facing the likes of Mohammed Shami, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar.

Virat Kohli was also in the thick of the action. The 36-year-old appeared in a hearty mood, and took a stunning one-handed reactionary catch.

Raw mode

Presenting from #TeamIndia‘s first practice session of #ChampionsTrophy 2025 in Dubai

WATCH

— BCCI (@BCCI) February 17, 2025

Rohit Sharma had hit the ball high with a tennis racket, before someone in the middle and worn a helmet to give it a deflection. Kohli, standing just behind, completed a superb one-handed effort, sparking celebrations among the players.

Hardik Pandya was also in the thick of things. First, Pandya could be seen sharing a light moment with Ravindra Jadeja in their native Gujarati.

Later, Pandya clobbered a delivery that travelled the distance, earning appreciation from Rishabh Pant.

At the helm, head coach Gautam Gambhir and assistant coach Abhishek Nayar oversaw the whole session, with the likes of batting coach Sitanshu Kotak also visible.

“There are three nets in the centre. Post whatever you have done; if you want to do something extra work, you’ve got two nets out back; you can get some working there,” Nayar could be heard saying.

The scenes of Team India training paint a vastly different picture regarding the mood in the dressing room than what was prevalent during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia.

India are vying for a record third Champions Trophy title, and the tournament comes as a major litmus test for head coach Gautam Gambhir. With India’s white-ball form seemingly imperious at the moment, India will be hoping to go the distance, playing all their games in Dubai.

India will face Bangladesh, Pakistan and New Zealand in the Champions Trophy 2025 group stage.