Team India Squad Announcement For Champions Trophy 2025:
The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is set to start on February 19. This edition will be played in a 'hybrid model' across Pakistan and Dubai. The opening match will feature host Pakistan against New Zealand in Karachi, while India will kick off their campaign on February 20 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium against Bangladesh.
Team India to be Announced Today, Eyes on Bumrah
The Indian squad for the Champions Trophy is yet to be announced, but the wait is expected to end today (January 18). At 12:30 PM in Mumbai, Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar and Captain Rohit Sharma are scheduled for a press conference to announce the team. Additionally, the team for the upcoming three-match ODI series against England will be selected on Saturday. Rohit's participation in the press conference suggests he will lead India in the Champions Trophy.
During the selection, fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah will be under the spotlight. Recently, in the Sydney Test against Australia, he suffered a back muscle strain and did not bowl in the second innings. Bumrah has been advised to manage his workload, and the physios are monitoring his fitness closely. However, there is a strong possibility that Bumrah will make it to the squad, although he might miss the initial 1-2 matches.
Source: aajtak
Will Yashasvi and Shami Make the Cut?
With Rohit Sharma captaining the Indian side, Shubman Gill and former captain Virat Kohli are likely to be included as specialist batsmen. Shreyas Iyer seems to have secured his spot thanks to his impressive form in domestic cricket, while Yashasvi Jaiswal might enter the squad as a backup opener.
Wicketkeeper-batsmen KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant are contenders for the team. Hardik Pandya's role will be crucial in the Champions Trophy, looking to shine with the bat and deliver strong performances with the ball.
The spin department may feature Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, and Ravindra Jadeja. The fast bowling unit could include four specialist pace bowlers. Alongside Bumrah, the experienced Mohammed Shami is expected to participate in this mega tournament. Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj might also board the flight to Dubai with Team India. As Arshdeep is a left-arm fast bowler, his presence could add variety to the attack.
Potential 15-member Indian Squad for the Champions Trophy:
Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (Wicketkeeper), Rishabh Pant (Wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj.
These Players Could Also Be Considered:
Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan, Washington Sundar, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, Karun Nair.
The Champions Trophy 2025 will have eight teams competing in a total of 15 matches. The teams are divided into two groups. India and Pakistan are in Group A along with New Zealand and Bangladesh. Meanwhile, Group B consists of South Africa, Australia, Afghanistan, and England. Each of the eight teams will play three matches within their group. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semifinals. The first semifinal will be held in Dubai, while the second will take place in Lahore. The final match will follow, meaning a finalist team will play five matches in total.
Champions Trophy Groups
Group A - Pakistan, India, New Zealand, Bangladesh Group B - South Africa, Australia, Afghanistan, England
Champions Trophy Full Schedule...
February 19 - Pakistan vs New Zealand, Karachi February 20 - Bangladesh vs India, Dubai February 21 - Afghanistan vs South Africa, Karachi February 22 - Australia vs England, Lahore February 23 - Pakistan vs India, Dubai February 24 - Bangladesh vs New Zealand, Rawalpindi February 25 - Australia vs South Africa, Rawalpindi February 26 - Afghanistan vs England, Lahore February 27 - Pakistan vs Bangladesh, Rawalpindi February 28 - Afghanistan vs Australia, Lahore March 1 - South Africa vs England, Karachi March 2 - New Zealand vs India, Dubai March 4 - Semifinal-1, Dubai March 5 - Semifinal-2, Lahore March 9 - Final, Lahore (If India reaches the final, it will be played in Dubai) March 10 - Reserve Day
