In the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami took charge of India's pace attack during the recently concluded Champions Trophy 2025. The seasoned fast bowler claimed nine wickets across five matches, proving to be a dependable asset for Rohit Sharma and his team throughout the tournament.

During the semi-final against Australia, Shami secured three wickets and added another dismissal in the triumphant final against New Zealand. Cooper Connolly, who stepped in as an opening all-rounder due to Travis Head's injury, was dismissed early by Shami in the semi-final.

In a conversation with reporters, Connolly shared his insights on his Champions Trophy journey and his experience facing Shami. "As a child, representing your country is a dream, and participating in a semi-final was an incredible experience that I will learn from," he remarked.

In the semi-final, Shami skillfully set up Connolly during the powerplay and ultimately dismissed him with a superb out-swinging delivery. "Shami is a world-class player for a reason; he has extensive experience in cricket," Connolly noted.

"Ultimately, it was an excellent game of cricket, and I believe our team gained valuable lessons from it."

On Rohit Sharma's dropped catch

The match featured Connolly dropping Rohit in the second over; however, he successfully dismissed the Indian captain in the eighth over.

“It’s part of cricket. There will be moments when you miss opportunities or drop catches – you must focus on what lies ahead,” he remarked.

“By the time I was bowling, the drop off Rohit was completely out of my mind. I was focused on competing to the best of my ability and aiming to secure a breakthrough for the team,” he continued.

Bumrah was unable to participate in the tournament due to an injury sustained during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. He is expected to return for IPL 2025, although he will be sidelined for the first two weeks because of his lower back injury.

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