NEW DELHI: India skipper Rohit Sharma on Wednesday defended the team’s decision to include five spinners in their Champions Trophy squad.
The team composition includes specialist spinners Varun Chakaravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav, alongside spinning all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar.
The pace department features Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, and Harshit Rana, with Hardik Pandya serving as the lone pace all-rounder.
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“There only two spinners, the rest are all-rounders. They can bat and bowl,” said Rohit when asked about the spin heavy composition of the side.
“We play to our strengths. The three all-rounders give a different dimension to the squad, they add a lot to the squad. We wanted to have players with two skills rather than one,” said Rohit ahead of the tournament opener against Bangladesh in Dubai.
The squad selection has been tailored to maximize the team’s strengths, particularly in the spinning department.
The Champions Trophy returns after an eight-year hiatus, adding significance to the tournament.
“It is a very important tournament like all ICC events are. We have to do lot of things right to hold the trophy,” said Rohit.
