ICC Champions Trophy 2025: 3 Player Battles to watch out for in India vs Bangladesh

RSeven months after the Indian tricolor was unfurled at Barbados after the 2024 T20 World Cup triumph, Team India stepped onto the field once again for a new ICC tournament. This time it is for the ICC Champions Trophy which sees Rohit Sharma’s men kick off their campaign against Najmul Shanto’s Bangladesh in Dubai. 

With four teams in a group, every match is important and both these sides would want to start the tournament with a thumping win. On paper, India start off as an overwhelming favorites but discount Bangladesh at your peril. The Bangla Tigers are more than capable of springing up a surprise. With that in mind, here's a look at three player battles to watch out for in the game between India and Bangladesh in the ICC Champions Trophy. 

1. Rohit Sharma vs Tanzim Hasan/ Taskin Ahmed

The Indian skipper has been instrumental in giving his side blistering starts over the last couple of years or so. He has been dictating the tempo during the powerplay overs with his aggressive batting, setting the momentum for the rest of the middle order to capitalize. He’ll be expected to be at his attacking best once again in the ICC Champions Trophy, and the bowlers tasked to stop the Rohit Sharma juggernaut would be Taskin Ahmed and Tanzim Hasan. 

Tanzim Hasan’s debut International wicket was Rohit Sharma, who he struck with just his second ball to send the Indian skipper back for a duck in the Asia Cup. Taskin Ahmed has dismissed Rohit once in ODIs and he’s one of the few bowlers against whom the Indian skipper has a strike rate of less than 100. Both these bowlers also possess that extra pace which could sometimes trouble Rohit Sharma. 

2. Shreyas Iyer vs Mehidy Hasan Miraz

In a Test match in 2022 at Mirpur, Mehidy Hasan Miraz ran through the Indian top order and Bangladesh seemed to be on the cusp of a rare victory over India. However, a certain Shreyas Iyer stood defiant and along with Ravi Ashwin helped India chase down the target. The Indian batter would have such an important role in the middle overs during the Champions Trophy as well. 

Shreyas Iyer has been the talk of the town during the England series, getting scores of 59,44 and 78 in the ODIs. He’s a solid batter in sub-continent conditions because of his stellar technique against spin bowling. Mehidy Hasan Miraz has picked 55 wickets in the previous three years and remains a crucial bowler for Bangladesh in that middle phase. The contest between the two cricketers would be quite something in the ICC Champions Trophy. 

3. Mahmudullah vs Kuldeep Yadav

Mahmudullah has been Bangladesh’s star batter when it comes to ICC Tournaments. He has a stellar record in ODI World Cups, as he averages 52.44 after 22 games. Mahmudullah has scored four fifties and four hundreds in ODI World Cups. Albeit not a World Cup, the Champions Trophy is the same format and offers a chance for Bangladesh’s veteran batter to augment his stats. 

Kuldeep Yadav has been India’s reliable wicket-taker in the middle overs for the last couple of years. He picked 21 wickets in the 2023 World Cup, at an average of 36.23. Kuldeep has bowled against Mahmudullah four times in International cricket in ODIs and has dismissed the seasoned Bangladeshi batter once thus far. Who will come out on top in the ICC Champions Trophy between this duo?