'India needs to score big because they will have to defend those totals without Bumrah.'
The Indian cricket team has its eyes firmly trained on the Champions Trophy title.
Under then captain Virat Kohli, India lost to Sarfaraz Ahmed's Pakistan in the 2017 final.
India's ambitions took a blow when pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out of the ICC competition due to a lower back injury, leaving the pace attack looking far from lethal.
"Without Bumrah this pace bowling attack doesn't look like a wicket-taking attack. It's more like a defensive kind of attack," Jatin Paranjpe, a member of the BCCI Cricket Advisory Committee and co-founder KheloMore, tells Norma Asrid Godinho/Rediff.com.
Has the three-match series against England been enough prep for Rohit and Co going into the Champions Trophy?
Winning a series going into a major tournament or tour is always a good thing, especially beating England, which is one of the hottest young teams right now.
More so, Rohit Sharma hitting his straps again, and Varun Chakravarthy has been a big plus from this series. So, definitely India is going into the Champions Trophy with a very positive frame of mind.
We all know that Jasprit Bumrah will be missed. Would you say the selectors erred in picking Harshit Rana over Mohammad Siraj in the final 15?
It's a call which the selectors have to take. It's a judgment call.
Bumrah will be sorely missed. Without Bumrah this pace bowling attack doesn't look like a wicket-taking attack. It's more like a defensive kind of attack.
And let's not forget that in Dubai you'll have absolute belters of tracks. So a lot of responsibility falls on Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and Varun Chakravarthy to actually bowl and hold an innings together from a bowling perspective, because none of the Indian fast bowlers are wicket takers now that Bumrah is not playing.
Mohammad Shami has not hit form after his comeback...
Bumrah is going to be missed big time because he maintains that pressure from one side. Shami, as we know, is a top, top bowler but he is just coming back from injury so let's just hope that his body stays ok.
Arshdeep has been brilliant in T20Is. In 8 ODIs he's got just 12 wickets. How does he fit in the ODI set-up?
It's a great incliusion by the selectors because Arshdeep is great with the new ball and he will swing that new ball. Right handers when they are playing against left arm seamers are always susceptible to the ball coming in and that is Arshdeep's stock ball.
So, India will look at him to take a few wickets when the ball is swinging in the first few overs.
Do you reckon taking five spinners to Dubai is an excess?
The selectors have got their balance right. Kuldeep is a superb bowler and he might actually play ahead of Varun Chakravarthy because he is that good.
So they'll play Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar and Axar as all-rounders and then have either Kuldeep or Chakravarthy. And then two fast bowlers after that plus Hardik.
So they have about 6 to 7 bowling options which is extremely important in a 50 overs match.
Should Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's form be a major concern?
You need three or four of the top six batters to fire and I think Rohit Sharma will have a very good Champions Trophy because he is back at his best and I believe he will fire.
India needs to score big because they will have to defend those totals without Bumrah, whose absence is a huge loss for Team India.
Who are the dark horses in your opinion?
I feel all these teams are playing well right now -- you see the India-England series and the tri-series in Pakistan involving New Zealand and South Africa. But you never know, Afghanistan are such an improved team, they are a hungry team. You can never write them off.
I'm looking forward to Afghanistan upsetting the applecart and beating some big teams.
Australia is a depleted squad with injuries to their bowling spearheads and all-rounders. How far do you seem going in the tournament?
In these multi-lateral tournaments, Australia have always brought their A game when it matters most. That is the essence of Australia. Yes, they are a depleted squad but whoever writes off Australia is stretching themselves a little bit.
Does Bangladesh or Pakistan have a complete game to trouble India in the group stage?
Pakistan is a young team. They can't be written off but they are not the team they used to be. They are in a team in transition so give them a couple of years and they will be a much better than they are right now.
Bangladesh won't be a real challenge. India will easily reach the semi-finals.
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