The 2025 Champions Trophy will mark Rohit Sharma's third appearance as a player, but it will be his inaugural tournament as the captain of the Indian team. Should India secure victory this year, they have the opportunity to surpass Australia and establish themselves as the most successful team in the history of the Champions Trophy. For Rohit, this represents a unique opportunity to achieve something that even former captains MS Dhoni and Sourav Ganguly, who previously led India to the title, were unable to accomplish.

Rohit will become the sixth individual to captain India in this tournament, following in the footsteps of Mohammed Azharuddin (1998), Sourav Ganguly (2000, 2002, and 2004), Rahul Dravid (2006), MS Dhoni (2009 and 2013), and Virat Kohli (2017). India previously won the trophy in 2002, which they shared with Sri Lanka due to a washed-out final, and again in 2013. For both Ganguly in 2002 and Dhoni in 2013, those victories came during their second tenure as captains in the tournament. If Rohit succeeds this time, he will be the first Indian captain to win the Champions Trophy on his debut attempt. This achievement would likely provide a much-needed boost for the 37-year-old, who has faced challenges both as a captain and a batsman since leading India to victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup.

Ganguly and Dhoni's captaincy debuts

Ganguly and Dhoni experienced markedly different outcomes during their inaugural captaincies for India in the Champions Trophy. Ganguly's debut occurred in a significantly different context, specifically during the 2000 ICC KnockOut Trophy held in Kenya, where India advanced to the final. This marked Ganguly's first year as captain, having assumed the role in February 2000. He emerged as India's top scorer, amassing 117 runs off 130 balls while forming an opening partnership of 141 runs with Sachin Tendulkar. Despite this effort, India could only post a total of 264 runs for six wickets in their allotted 50 overs. Chris Cairns' unbeaten 102 runs off 113 balls ultimately led New Zealand to secure their first victory in an ICC tournament.

In contrast, MS Dhoni's team faced a more established tournament format during the 2009 Champions Trophy, yet they found themselves far from the final. A significant factor in India's early exit was a 54-run defeat to Pakistan in their opening match. Shoaib Malik's impressive innings of 128 runs off 126 balls propelled Pakistan to a total of 302 runs for nine wickets. Veteran player Rahul Dravid was the only one who appeared capable of sustaining the chase, scoring 76 runs off 103 balls, but India was eventually bowled out for 248 runs.

Success on the second try

Both Ganguly and Dhoni had the opportunity to compete in the Champions Trophy again, and they capitalized on that chance, regardless of whether their victories were outright or shared. In contrast, Rohit may not have the same opportunity due to his advancing age. Dhoni and Ganguly were both 30 years old when they secured the trophy in 2013 and 2002, respectively, while Rohit will turn 38 this April.

The timing and possibility of the next Champions Trophy remain uncertain. Between 2000 and 2009, five editions of the tournament were conducted, but only two occurred from 2010 to 2020. The 2017 tournament was widely anticipated to be the last before its return this year, leaving its future in question. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that, unlike Ganguly and Dhoni, Rohit may not have the opportunity to pursue the title again.

India's recent performance has been underwhelming; before a disappointing stretch in Test cricket that resulted in their absence from the WTC final, they suffered a loss in an ODI series in Sri Lanka for the first time since 1997. However, it is important to note that this downturn followed a successful campaign in the 2024 T20 World Cup. It will be intriguing to see if India can conclude this period of poor form with another ICC title, potentially elevating Rohit to a level that neither Ganguly nor Dhoni achieved on their initial attempts.

Read Also: Shami 'Not Ready' for Champions Trophy: Concerns Rise Amid Bumrah's Fitness Uncertainty

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