Champions Trophy 2025: Impressive India win but tournament shows cricket at risk of apathy

Of course, none of this is the fault of India’s players.

Rohit, who caused a stir by sending vice-captain Shubman Gill to the pre-final captains’ interview this week, and Virat Kohli are two 50-over greats.

Ravindra Jadeja, who hit the winning runs against New Zealand, is not far behind, while Gill will probably get there too if given the chance.

India’s strength is such that they might well have won this tournament wherever it was played. The fact they have not had injured star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah for the Champions Trophy has largely been forgotten.

But these ICC men’s events – increased in number to include either a Champions Trophy, T20 or 50-over World Cup every year until 2031 – are supposed to be the internationals game’s counter to the money-spinning Indian Premier League.

Instead, they now come so often, follow such a familiar pattern, that indifference is perhaps beginning to set in.

There were no written journalists from India’s fellow semi-finalists, Australia, South Africa or New Zealand, at the Champions Trophy – hardly the sign of a healthy sport.

The fallout from England’s dismal exit was loud among the diehards but outside of that?

You be the judge about whether this tournament came up in the family WhatsApp group.

Their chaotic organisation does not help either, with the schedule for this competition confirmed just 57 days before it began.

No English media were able to witness that Guyana semi-final because of the quick turnaround, a lack of flights and the fact it took place in a country US authorities advise against visiting on safety grounds.

In cricket, these things are simply waved through.

Things will not get easier in the next two tournaments – the women’s World Cup later this year and the men’s T20 version in the spring of 2026.

Both will be held in India, in partnership with Sri Lanka in the case of the T20, meaning should Pakistan qualify they will get the treatment their rivals had here.

Pakistan could find themselves with the same advantages India had but uncertainties – two venues needed to be lined up for a final – are not going anywhere.

It is not that hope is lost.

This tournament has shown, yet again, that the product of international white-ball cricket on the field remains strong, despite two washouts and too many one-sided games.

Australia batter Josh Inglis’ century against England was an all-timer, Ravindra continued to emerge as one of the next stars of the sport and Afghanistan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai should be the want of every Hundred team in Wednesday’s draft.

A dearth in quality is not a threat to international cricket’s future. Apathy is.