"If Rohit is struggling but still gets runs, that is dangerous for opposition" - Former all-rounder ahead of IND vs PAK 2025 Champions Trophy clash

Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh has stated that if Rohit Sharma is getting runs even though he is not in great form, that's a danger signal for the opposition. The limited-overs legend described the opening batter as India's biggest white-ball match-winner, alongside Virat Kohli.

The Men in Blue opened their campaign in the 2025 Champions Trophy with a hard-fought six-wicket win over Bangladesh in Dubai. Rohit scored 41 off 36 and added 69 in 9.5 overs as Team India chased down a target of 229 in 46.3 overs.

India's next match in the ICC event will be against arch-rivals Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday, February 23. Speaking ahead of the mega clash on JioHotstar's 'Greatest Rivalry Returns', Yuvraj hailed Rohit and also backed him to strike form. The two-time World Cup winner stated (as quoted by ANI):

"In ODI cricket, especially in white-ball formats, he has been India's biggest match-winner as a batsman, alongside Virat Kohli. If Rohit is struggling but still gets runs, that is dangerous for the opposition. If he is in form, he will score a century in 60 balls. That is his quality--once he gets going, he is not just hitting fours; he is clearing the ropes with sixes.

"He is also one of the best players of the short ball. Even if someone bowls at 145-150 kmph, Rohit has the ability to hook it effortlessly. His strike rate is always between 120-140, and on his day, he can single-handedly win you the game," Yuvraj added in praise of the Indian skipper.

Before the 2025 Champions Trophy match against Bangladesh, Rohit had smashed 119 off 90 balls at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack in the second ODI of the three-match against England. The 37-year-old was, however, dismissed cheaply in the two other games.

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"It won't work out" - Former India opener disagrees with Rohit's hell for leather approach

While Rohit has won a lot of praise for his selfless approach as a batter in ODIs, going all-out from the word go, not everyone in Indian cricket agrees with the tactic. According to former opener Aakash Chopra, the Indian captain getting out for quick 40s is doing more harm than good to the team. Speaking on his YouTube channel, he opined:

"We must acknowledge that Rohit played well as long as he played. I might sound like a broken record but if he is going too hard too soon, the team falls slightly behind when he gets out. It won't work out if we get happy with 40 runs from a 100-run batter."

Since the start of the 2023 World Cup, Rohit has played 18 ODI innings and has scored 917 runs, averaging 50.94 at a strike rate of 127.36, with the aid of two hundreds and five half-centuries.