“Rohit Sharma could hit a six whenever he wanted” - Former batter recalls India’s ‘masterstroke’ from 2013 Champions Trophy

Former Indian batter Suresh Raina pointed to the opening partnerships between Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan as the key reason behind the side's triumph in the 2013 Champions Trophy in England. Team India went on an unbeaten run to clinch their second Champions Trophy title under the captaincy of MS Dhoni.

With the 2025 edition of the Champions Trophy only a day away, the Men in Blue are among the firm favorites to win a third title. Going back to the win in 2013, Rohit and Dhawan's heroics as an opening pair served India well.

Rohit had struggled in his ODI career, batting in the middle order. However, he opened in the final two ODIs of the home series against England before the 2013 Champions Trophy, and the trend continued in the tournament.

Raina, who was part of India's dominant 2013 victory, recalled the 'masterstroke' on JioHotstar’s The Suresh Raina Experience and said [quoted by TOI]:

"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."

He added:

"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."

Rohit and Dhawan added 127 for the first wicket in their tournament opener against South Africa to set the perfect tone for Team India. The duo went from strength to strength with other useful stands for the rest of India's successful 2013 Champions Trophy campaign.

Dhawan finished as the tournament's leading run-scorer with 363 runs at an average of almost 91, while Rohit was fourth with 177 runs.

"He worked incredibly hard on his batting" - Suresh Raina

Rohit has made the opening spot in ODIs his own since the 2013 Champions Trophy [Credit: Getty]

Suresh Raina praised Rohit Sharma for working relentlessly to nail down his spot in the Indian ODI side following the disappointment of missing out on the 2011 World Cup.

After the heroics in the 2013 Champions Trophy, Rohit has been India's permanent opener in ODIs until this moment. The 37-year-old boasts an incredible ODI record with almost 11,000 runs at an average of 49.05 and a strike rate of 92.69, including 32 centuries.

"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," said Raina.

Rohit remains the only batter in ODI history with three double centuries, achieving all three as an opener.

The champion cricketer will lead India in the upcoming 2025 Champions Trophy, starting tomorrow, February 19.