India Favourites For Champions Trophy Even Without Bumrah: Michael Clarke

Former Australia skipper Michael Clarke admitted that India will miss the services of Jasprit Bumrah, but insisted that the side will still enter the Champions Trophy as favourites despite their bowling spearhead being absent.

India will enter the Champions Trophy having whitewashed England 3-0, and, since the start of the 2023 ODI World Cup, their win percentage of 75% is by a distance the best among all teams. 

With key players back in form, Clarke picked India as the favourites for the mega event.

“I think there's no doubt about it they'll miss Bumrah. I think he is a huge loss,” Clarke said in the Beyond23 Cricket Podcast.

“But you look through that squad, it is so strong. I think India are the favourites even without Bumrah.

“I've got them in my top four. Shubman Gill's been in good form. Rohit Sharma, a hundred a couple of games ago, so he's back in form. I still think they're the favourites to win the Champions Trophy.”

One player, according to Clarke, who will prove to be the point of difference for India is Hardik Pandya. The former Aussie skipper singled out the all-rounder as team India’s ‘x factor’ and backed him to have a ‘huge tournament’.

“The one for me that I think they missed through the Australian summer, who is a part of their shorter format, is Hardik Pandya,” Clarke said.

“I think he's a superstar. I think he's an x-factor and I think he will have a huge tournament. So I'm saying India are the favourites and they're in my top four.”

India will begin their Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh in Dubai on February 20.