"India will have a lot to think" - Aakash Chopra issues huge 'Champions Trophy' warning to Gautam Gambhir

Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra believes that India will have a lot to think about before the Champions Trophy 2025, which will be hosted by Pakistan in February-March. Chopra believes that India do not have many ODIs to play before the tournament and that will make their path difficult.

The first match between Sri Lanka and India ended in a dramatic tie after India were in the driver's seat for a long time in the match. The last two wickets fell off successive balls as Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka snatched the tie for his team out of the jaws of defeat.

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India will have a lot to think about before Champions Trophy 2025, feels Aakash Chopra

While speaking in a video on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra said that India will have lots of thinking to do before the Champions Trophy next year. He feels that it is highly possible that the series will end in a tie if Sri Lanka manage to win any one match out of the upcoming two matches.

"India will have a lot to think. There are only five ODIs left before the Champions Trophy (2025). Two here and three will be against England in February (2025). So, we can't do much here," Chopra said in the video.

"India have to think how they are playing. The first match is already tied and it is possible that the series ends in a tie as well. India will need to win both the games now to win the series," he added.

India have just five ODIs remaining before the Champions Trophy. Two of them will be against Sri Lanka in this series while the other three ODIs will be played against England next year just before the tournament.

Before the tournament, India have lots of problems to address. The way the team failed to chase down a relatively simple target despite a great start would not have impressed the new coach Gautam Gambhir and the team management.

India's middle order unable to get big scores

While Rohit Sharma looked in good touch but Shubman Gill's problems on a slow wicket popped up again. Gill scored 16 off 35 balls and did not find any rhythm during his batting. He kept trying hard to find boundaries but the slow and turning Colombo wicket did not allow him do to so and he was dismissed by Dunith Wellalage.

The rest of the batters got starts but no one was able to get a big score on the day. No batter in the middle order scored a half-century as the batters looked rusty. Even Virat Kohli got a good start and was starting to build on his innings, but was dismissed at the wrong time.

In the bowling department, the bowlers were impressive initially but lost steam in the latter part of the Sri Lankan innings. Rohit Sharma and his men will be looking to learn from their mistakes and come out as a better team in the next match.