The Indian camp in Dubai has expressed concerns over the availability of their star wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant for the all-important ICC Champions Trophy 2025 clash with arch-rivals Pakistan. According to reports, Pant is likely to be sidelined due to health issues.
Rishabh Pant missed India’s campaign Champions Trophy opener against Bangladesh on Thursday, as well as the recent home ODI series against England, leading to speculation about his fitness. His absence from the team huddle during a training session ahead of the Pakistan match has only fueled these concerns.
In a pre-match press conference, Shubman Gill, India’s vice-captain, provided an update on Pant’s condition, revealing that he is suffering from a viral fever. “Rishabh is, I think, down with viral; that is why he did not come for practice,” Gill stated, leaving fans and team management anxious about Pant’s potential absence in such a crucial encounter.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding Pant, Gill emphasized the importance of a strong approach for the upcoming match. He articulated that India needs to play aggressive and positive cricket while also adapting their strategy based on the pitch conditions. “The ideal approach is to assess the conditions and see how it’s playing. We were lucky we got to the field first and saw how the wicket was playing,” he explained.
Gill noted that the target score would depend on the pitch, stating, “On these wickets, 260-280 is a good total. On another wicket, we might look to get 320, 350-plus. We don’t have any particular target. But we try and get 15–30 runs more than par total on any pitch.” This flexible mindset reflects India’s readiness to adapt to the game’s dynamics.
Addressing the conditions in Dubai, Gill shared insights regarding the dew factor, asserting that the toss may not play a significant role in the match. “Toss does not matter in Dubai. The dew is not setting in; if it was, it would have made a major difference,” he noted, indicating that both teams will need to be prepared for the playing conditions.
While India enters the match with a strong track record, Gill refrained from underestimating Pakistan, despite their recent struggles. “India vs Pakistan is big, but the Champions Trophy final is the bigger match. We have been playing good cricket, but we will not take Pakistan as a lesser side,” he asserted.