1st ODI: Will Rohit Sharma, Team India set tone for Champions Trophy?

NAGPUR: Exactly 15 winters ago, on a crisp Nagpur morning, a young man stood on the threshold of his biggest dream. February 6, 2010, was meant to be the day Rohit Sharma slipped into the hallowed Indian whites for the first time. At 24, brimming with nervous energy and promise, he strode onto the Jamtha ground, ready to script the first chapter of a storied career.The packed stadium at 8.45am buzzed with anticipation. But just as fate had lifted him to that moment, it pulled the rug from under his feet. A warm-up game of football turned disastrous – a twisted ankle, a cruel pause. Moments before receiving his maiden cap, Rohit’s dream was snatched away, leaving him on the sidelines for three long years.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Fast forward to Thursday, and Jamtha is once again set to be the stage for Rohit. This time not as a wide-eyed debutant, but as the captain, seeking not redemption but resurgence. As India gears up to face England in the first ODI at Nagpur – a curtain-raiser to the much-anticipated Champions Trophy in Pakistan and Dubai – Rohit will be looking to reignite the fire, both in himself and his team.Nagpur has been kind to him before. In 2017, it witnessed one of his masterclasses – a majestic unbeaten 102 against Sri Lanka. The surface this time, bereft of grass, promises another run-fest. If Rohit, alongside his dynamic deputy Shubman Gill, channels the template of their 2023 World Cup exploits, a score above 300 could well be on the cards. India’s approach at the top has been ruthless. Since 2023, they boast the second-best powerplay run rate among the top ten teams. India, along with Australia, have smashed over 70 sixes in the powerplay in this period.