Champions Trophy 2025: Rohit Sharma Visibly Ill During Press Conference, Coughs Multiple Times On Camera

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Champions Trophy 2025: On the eve of India's opening Group A match against Bangladesh in Dubai, captain Rohit Sharma addressed the media in a pre-match press conference but appeared visibly unwell, coughing multiple times on camera.

Despite this, the Indian skipper fielded questions with composure and declined an offer of water from a local organizing committee member, stating, "I am fine." However, now fans are worried if Rohit Sharma will play the opening game against Bangladesh or not.

The press conference took place while Pakistan and New Zealand clashed in Karachi in the tournament opener. India, who are set to play all their matches at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, will face arch-rivals Pakistan on February 23.

One of the key talking points during the session was India's spin-heavy squad. Rohit clarified that he does not see the inclusion of five spin-bowling options as a limitation but rather as an advantage, given the versatility of his players.

"We have two spinners and three all-rounders. I am not looking at them as five spinners. Jadeja, Axar, Washington give us a lot of depth with the bat," he said.

India's campaign will unfold entirely in Dubai, including a potential final if they progress. Speaking about the pitch conditions, Rohit emphasized the importance of quick adaptation.

"I think it's about assessing the pitch as quickly as possible. We've played a lot of cricket here (Dubai) in the past. We have to adapt as quickly as possible and let your instincts take over based on the situation."

With international cricket's packed schedule, injuries have become an unavoidable reality. Rohit acknowledged this but expressed confidence in India's squad depth. "Going out there and representing your country is paramount. There will be times when we miss out on a few people to injuries, but we have other experienced cricketers in our lineup."

India had limited international fixtures leading into the Champions Trophy, but Rohit was satisfied with their preparation, particularly through the England series. "We didn't have a lot of games ahead of the Champions Trophy. Even then, we managed to tick off most boxes in the bilateral series against England. We wanted to do things and take off from where we stopped at the World Cup and bring that into the England series and now the Champions Trophy."

The impact of dew remains a talking point in Dubai's cricketing conditions, but Rohit admitted it was unpredictable. "I'm not very sure about the dew. It's quite unpredictable for all of us. We can't really think too much about that. If there are overcast conditions, we have the arsenal to combat that."

Despite concerns over his health, Rohit Sharma remained focused on India's campaign, with the high-octane clash against Pakistan just days away.