Champions Trophy: Star Player Injured During Practice, Concern in Team India Camp

With just two days left for the ICC Champions Trophy to begin, the Indian cricket team, led by Rohit Sharma, has already arrived in Dubai and commenced practice on Sunday. However, a concerning incident occurred during the session when star wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant sustained an injury.

According to a report by The Times of India, Pant was struck on his left knee by a powerful shot from Hardik Pandya. The impact caused him to collapse on the field in visible pain. The medical team immediately attended to him and escorted him off the ground. This injury raised concerns within the Indian camp, as Pant had previously suffered severe injuries to the same knee during a car accident in December 2022.

Despite the initial alarm, Pant later returned to the field from the dressing room, appearing in good spirits while conversing with Axar Patel. He soon resumed batting in the nets, bringing relief to the team and fans.

This will be Pant’s maiden Champions Trophy appearance. Known for his match-winning performances, he has already established himself as a key player in limited-overs cricket, maintaining a strike rate of over 100 in both ODIs and T20Is.

Team India is set to play all its matches in Dubai. The tournament opener for India will be against Bangladesh on February 20, followed by a highly anticipated clash against Pakistan on February 23. The final league-stage match will take place against New Zealand on March 1.

India has won the Champions Trophy twice—first in 2002 when they shared the title with Sri Lanka, and again in 2013 after defeating England in the final.