‘Stats don’t define leadership’: Gambhir backs Rohit Sharma’s approach

India's head coach Gautam Gambhir has defended captain Rohit Sharma amid scrutiny over his form, stating that the team evaluates him based on impact rather than statistics.

His remarks came after India secured a place in the Champions Trophy 2025 final with a comprehensive victory over Australia in Dubai.

Addressing concerns over Rohit's contributions, Gambhir dismissed the notion that the opener’s numbers define his role. "If your captain plays with such a tempo, it sends a strong signal to the dressing room. We don’t judge players by averages; we assess the impact they have," he said.

Rohit has scored 84 runs in three matches in the tournament, adopting an aggressive approach at the top, similar to his role in India’s 2023 World Cup and 2024 T20 World Cup campaigns. Despite not converting his starts into big scores, his intent has helped ease pressure on India’s middle order on slow surfaces.

India still searching for ‘perfect game’

India’s victory over Australia was set up by a clinical bowling effort, restricting them to 265, followed by composed batting performances from Virat Kohli (84), Shreyas Iyer, and key lower-order contributions.

Despite the team's dominant run, Gambhir asserted that India has room for improvement. "We still haven’t played a perfect game. Hopefully, we can achieve that in the final," he said.

India will face either New Zealand or South Africa in the final on Sunday, with the second semi-final set to be played in Lahore on Wednesday.