NEW DELHI: Ahead of the start of the ICC 2025 Champions Trophy, Suresh Raina reminisced about India’s 2013 title-winning campaign in England, highlighting a crucial ‘masterstroke’ that played a key role in their success.Under MS Dhoni’s leadership, India remained unbeaten throughout the tournament, defeating England in a rain-affected final. Raina credited Dhoni’s tactical brilliance and team strategy as decisive factors in clinching the trophy.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!On a special episode of JioHotstar’s The Suresh Raina Experience: Champions Trophy Special, former Indian cricketer Raina reflected on a pivotal moment from the 2013 Champions Trophy — the rise of the Rohit Sharma-Shikhar Dhawan opening partnership.India begin Champions Trophy prep | Rishabh Pant struck on kneeRaina hailed the decision to back the duo as a ‘masterstroke’ by the team management, emphasising how their success in the tournament laid the foundation for years to come.”That was a masterstroke. Just look at the way they batted—they focused on timing rather than forcing shots. They attacked when the delivery deserved it. Rohit, technically very sound, wore the ball down before accelerating, while Shikhar stepped out and took on the bowlers. Left-right combinations always trouble bowlers, and Shikhar was an aggressive striker in his own way. Rohit could hit a six whenever he wanted,” Raina said.India’s opening game against South Africa saw Dhawan smashing 114 off 94 balls, while Rohit contributed 65 off 81, stitching together a 127-run stand that lasted over 20 overs. Their consistent run rate of 8-9 runs per over kept the pressure on the opposition.”Their partnerships were effortless. A 100-run stand quickly turned into 150. They trusted each other’s calls and had great understanding, which made a huge difference,” Raina added.While Dhawan had been a regular opener, he had multiple partners in 2012. Rohit, who missed out on India’s 2011 World Cup-winning squad, finally secured the opening slot in 2013.”He worked incredibly hard on his batting, had long discussions with Duncan (Fletcher), and shared a great rapport with MS (Dhoni). Big tournaments create big players. He wasn’t in the 2011 World Cup squad, but when the 2013 Champions Trophy arrived, he grabbed the opportunity — and he still holds that opening spot,” Raina remarked.Apart from his batting contributions, Raina played a key role with the ball in the opening match. With India’s frontline pacers struggling on a dry wicket, his six-over spell helped contain South Africa’s chase.”The wicket was very dry, so we had to adjust our fielding and bowling. Having a sixth bowling option — whether it was Virat, Rohit, or me — gave MS extra flexibility. At one point, he had no full-time bowlers left, so as a captain, you need those four to five crucial overs from a part-timer. MS knew that if a left-hander was at the crease, he could turn to me,” Raina explained.He further elaborated on his bowling strategy, saying, “I focused on keeping it straight at the stumps and not offering too much pace. If I bowled three good overs, I’d earn a fourth. My role was to field well, but MS trusted me to deliver with the ball.”India will begin their 2025 ICC Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh in Dubai on February 20.
Suresh Raina reminisces India’s ‘masterstroke’ in 2013 Champions Trophy glory |
