Champions Trophy 2025: Jasprit Bumrah absence is a huge opportunity for ‘World-Class’ bowler, opines Gambhir

India head coach Gautam Gambhir has expressed confidence in the team's fast bowling unit despite the absence of key pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who has been ruled out of the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy due to a lower back injury.

Gambhir emphasized that this situation presents a valuable opportunity for other bowlers to step up and showcase their abilities on the international stage.

"If he's injured, he's injured; whether it's me, whether it's the captain, we can't do much about it," Gambhir stated.

"Obviously, we know that he's an important factor. But as I mentioned, people like Harshit [Rana], Arshdeep [Singh], Mohammed Shami, all these guys will put their hand up. It's a great opportunity for them to try and deliver for the country," he added,

India completed a 3-0 whitewash of England with a 142-run victory in Ahmedabad on the wake of the Champions Trophy.

Fast bowler Harshit Rana, who made his ODI debut at the start of the series, impressed with six wickets across the three matches. Left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh also made a notable contribution, claiming two wickets in his sole appearance in the final match.

However, it is the return of the experienced Mohammed Shami that has significantly boosted India's confidence ahead of the eight-nation tournament. Shami, 34, recovered from a long-term injury to make his international comeback in the T20 matches after a hiatus following India's 2023 World Cup final loss to Australia.

"Look, it's always good to have a world-class bowler back. With his experience, with his quality, we all know what he can do with the ball in his hand," the India coach continued.

Shami showcased his prowess by taking five wickets in the T20s and ODIs, demonstrating both speed and precision. Gambhir highlighted the team's efforts to manage Shami's workload, stating the reason of his absence from the final encounter.

India is set to commence their Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh on February 20, followed by a highly anticipated clash with arch-rivals Pakistan three days later in Dubai.