Champions Trophy 2025: Virat Kohli reveals reason for liking the marquee event ahead of IND vs BAN clash

Team India star batter Virat Kohli has revealed the reason for liking the Champions Trophy ahead of the Men in Blue’s opening match of the prestigious tournament against Bangladesh at the Dubai International Stadium on Thursday, February 20. 

The Champions Trophy made its return after a gap of eight years since the tournament last took place in 2017. It was a long gap compared to the previous editions of the marquee event, which were held at regular intervals. Additionally, Pakistan is hosting an ICC tournament for the first time since the 1996 ODI World Cup, where they co-host alongside  However, Champions Trophy 2025 is held in a hybrid as Team India will play all their matches in Dubai after the BCCI refused to send their Team India to Pakistan due to security concerns. 

Amid the anticipation and excitement for India’s campaign in Champions Trophy 2025, Virat Kohli highlighted the importance of the tournament. 

Speaking to Star Sports, Virat Kohli revealed that he has liked the Champions Trophy as it is tough competition, given that only top 8 teams can only qualify for the prestigious tournament. 

“The tournament is happening after a long time. I have always liked this tournament. It represents consistency as you have to be in the top 8 of the rankings (to qualify). The level of competition is always good.” the star batter said.

Kohli likened the Champions Trophy to T20 World Cup in terms of pressure. He added that pressure from game one is what he liked the most, allowing him to be at his best from the start of the tournament. 

“In the ODI format, it creates the pressure of a T20 World Cup. There also you have three or four games in the league stage. If you don’t start well, you are under pressure. The pressure is from the first game itself and that is why I like it, you have to be at your best from game one," former India captain added.

Virat Kohli made his Champions Trophy debut in 2009 and went on to play in two editions of the tournament in 2013 and 2017. Kohli played a pivotal role in helping the Men in Blue their maiden Champions Trophy triumph under the leadership of MS Dhoni. In the following edition of the prestigious tournament, Virat Kohli led Team India to the final as the defending champion, but failed to get hold of the coveted trophy again after losing to Pakistan in the title clash.

Virat Kohli is among the leading run-getters of the Champions Trophy, as he is at the 11th spot on the chart with 529 runs, including five fifties, at an average of 88.16 in 11 matches. His best performance came against Bangladesh in the 2017 semifinal, where he played an unbeaten innings of 96 off 78 and formed an unbeaten 178-run stand with Rohit Sharma (123 off 129 balls) for the second wicket to help India chase down a 265-run target.

Virat Kohli made his timely return to his form with a fifty in the third and final ODI of the series against England. The ODI format has been his stronghold over the last decade and a half as he has amassed 13963 runs, including 50 centuries and 73 fifties, at an average of 57.93 in 297 matches. Kohli is just 37 runs short of becoming the third batter after Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara, which he is likely to achieve in the Champions Trophy 2025.