ICC Champions Trophy 2025 India Squad Announcement Highlights: Bumrah in, Siraj dropped, Jaiswal gets maiden ODI call-up
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THE TIMES OF INDIA | Jan 18, 2025, 17:21:51 IST
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ICC Champions Trophy 2025 India Squad Announcement Highlights: Bumrah in, Siraj dropped, Jaiswal gets maiden ODI call-up

India’s fast-bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has been named in the squad for the Champions Trophy starting February 19, subject to fitness clearance. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar expressed optimism about Bumrah's recovery, despite his recent back spasms that prevented him from bowling in the second innings of the Sydney Test.

“Bumrah was asked to offload for five weeks, BCCI will put something out from the medical team. Hopefully, he is okay after the first week of February,” said Agarkar in the press conference, held after a delay of more than two hours at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai.

Shubman Gill has been named vice-captain for both the England ODI series and the Champions Trophy, while seam-bowling all-rounder Harshit Rana has earned a spot in the England ODIs. However, Mohammed Siraj has been excluded, with left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh preferred in the squad.

The squad also includes left-handed opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who returns after recovering from hernia surgery.

India will play three ODIs against England on February 6, 9, and 12 in Nagpur, Cuttack, and Ahmedabad. They will then begin their Champions Trophy campaign in Dubai on February 20 against Bangladesh, followed by matches against Pakistan (February 23) and New Zealand (March 2).

India’s squad for England ODIs and Champions Trophy: Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill (vc), Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana (England ODIs only).
08:38 (IST) Jan 18
ICC Champions Trophy 2025 India Squad Live: Wicketkeeper-batter dilemma
Rishabh Pant is likely to be the first-choice wicketkeeper, especially with Sanju Samson’s absence from the Vijay Hazare Trophy raising questions about his availability.

Dhruv Jurel, in impressive form, could be considered as a backup option.


08:37 (IST) Jan 18
ICC Champions Trophy India Squad 2025 Live: The case for Yashasvi Jaiswal
Yashasvi Jaiswal’s inclusion has been a topic of discussion, given his outstanding form and ability to add a left-handed option at the top.

However, fitting him into a squad featuring established players like Rohit, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, and Shreyas Iyer could prove challenging.

If Jaiswal is selected, it might bring him into direct competition with KL Rahul, who has been a key figure in the middle order.

The selectors could opt to test Jaiswal in the upcoming three-match ODI series against England while keeping Rahul in the mix for the Champions Trophy.


08:21 (IST) Jan 18
ICC Champions Trophy India Squad 2025 Live: Selectors convene to pick India's CT squad
The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee will meet on Saturday to finalise India’s squad for the Champions Trophy, with two critical issues at the forefront: the fitness of star pacer Jasprit Bumrah and the potential inclusion of Yashasvi Jaiswal in the provisional 15.

Bumrah’s fitness remains a concern after he experienced back spasms during the Sydney Test against Australia, preventing him from bowling on the final day at the SCG. The pacer is currently undergoing "off-loading" and is being closely monitored by physios at the BCCI Centre of Excellence.

Agarkar, along with head coach Gautam Gambhir, captain Rohit Sharma, and other selectors, will carefully evaluate Bumrah’s condition before making a decision on his inclusion. A clearer picture is expected to emerge during a press conference to be addressed by Agarkar and Rohit post-meeting.

Rohit’s presence at the press briefing strongly suggests he will retain the ODI captaincy, even as speculation swirls about his future in Test cricket following a disappointing tour of Australia.

The 37-year-old recently shared an Instagram video showcasing his trademark strokes during a training session, signaling his focus on the upcoming white-ball assignments.
07:38 (IST) Jan 18
ICC Champions Trophy India Squad 2025 Live: All you need to know
India’s Champions Trophy Squad Announcement

The Men’s Selection Committee will select India’s squad for the IDFC First Bank ODI series against England and the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 tomorrow in Mumbai. The Selection Meeting will be followed by a press conference, details of which are under

Time & Date

12.30 PM IST (approx.) on Saturday, January 18, 2025

To be addressed by

Rohit Sharma, Captain Indian Cricket Team

Ajit Agarkar, Chairman, Men’s Selection Committee

Venue

PC Room, 2nd Floor, Wankhede Stadium

07:34 (IST) Jan 18
ICC Champions Trophy India Squad 2025 Live: Rohit trains with white-ball
India captain Rohit Sharma is sharpening his white-ball skills ahead of the upcoming ODI series against England and the Champions Trophy. In an Instagram video, the 37-year-old showcased his trademark strokes during a training session, including elegant flicks, crisp drives, powerful lofted hits, and authoritative pulls.

Following a challenging tour of Australia, where he dropped himself for the final Test in Sydney due to poor form, Rohit has been training with Mumbai's Ranji Trophy squad. While Mumbai is set to face Jammu and Kashmir on January 23, it remains unclear if Rohit will participate in the match.

India’s Champions Trophy campaign kicks off against Bangladesh on February 20 in Dubai, following the three-match ODI series against England starting February 6.

A Testing Period for the Indian Skipper

The past few weeks have been tough for Rohit. He scored just 31 runs across three Tests in Australia and opted to step down from the series-deciding fifth Test in Sydney. Leadership duties for that match were handed to Jasprit Bumrah, leading to widespread speculation about Rohit’s future.

Despite the scrutiny, Rohit addressed the rumors head-on in an interview with the series' host broadcaster, stating firmly, “I am not going anywhere.”

As he looks to bounce back, Rohit’s preparation signals his determination to lead India with renewed vigor in the crucial white-ball assignments ahead.
07:10 (IST) Jan 18
India squad for Champions Trophy: Shreyas Iyer - the crucial piece in middle-order puzzle

The wait is finally over. India men's senior selection committee chaired by Ajit Agarkar will pick India's provisional squad for the upcoming Champions Trophy tomorrow (January 18) in Mumbai and they are set to face a happy headache while doing the same. While top-order is more or less clear, they need to find the right pieces for the middle-order puzzle. There are plenty of players in the mix for those 3-4 positions but Shreyas Iyer remains a no-brainer for the middle-overs period.

With the right mix of caution and aggression, he has aced the 50-over game in the past and had a stellar 2023 ODI World Cup where he amassed 530 runs in 11 innings. The runs came at a healthy strike-rate and he hit two hundreds and three half-centuries during India's campaign. The right-hander had a turbulent little period where he lost out on an annual contract but bounced back in emphatic fashion during the IPL where he led KKR to the title.

There were three ordinary outings against Sri Lanka in the ODIs but he rediscovered the touch during the domestic season where he made substantial contributions, across formats, for Mumbai. 452 runs in five First Class innings were followed by 345 runs in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and 325 runs in five List A fixtures. He has the weight of runs behind him but more importantly has the game suited for the surfaces in Dubai. With spin expected to play a major role in the tournament, Iyer has what it takes to control the middle period of the game like he did during the 2023 ODI World Cup.

He has time and again reiterated that he is not fussy about batting positions and that flexibility will certainly come good. The England ODIs will definitely help coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Rohit Sharma to finalise composition of their middle-order, and it will make a lot of sense if it revolves around Iyer.

Yes, there are plenty of right-handers in the middle-order mix at the moment but India do have some flexible left-handers in the lower-order who they can seamlessly move around as per the match situation. Those movements were on display during the three ODIs vs Sri Lanka and it could well continue in the upcoming ODI assignments.

06:59 (IST) Jan 18
Meanwhile, afflicted by a back injury which prevented him from bowling for a major part in the fifth and final test at Sydney, ace fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is unlikely to be a part of the 15-man squad for the global tournament, unless the selectors decide to take a chance with him to see if he can indeed recover before the knockouts of the event.

Playing all their matches in the eight-team Champions Trophy under a hybrid model in Dubai, launch their campaign against Bangladesh on Feb 20, before taking on arch-rivals Pakistan on Feb 23, and then New Zealand in their final league match on March 2.

The ODIs against England are scheduled for Feb 6, 9 and 12.

It will be interesting to see if the selectors pick veteran batsman Karun Nair, who has been in sensational form in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he has scored 752 runs in just seven innings at an incredible average of 752, with five hundreds-four on the trot, to steer Vidarbha into the VHT final for the first time will be picked for the global tournament.

The BCCI and the selectors have emphasized on the importance of domestic cricket in recent times, but it won’t be easy to make space in the ODI team for Nair.

“Whom do you drop if you have to pick Karun in the 15? You can't drop someone like Shreyas Iyer, who smashed a century in the 2023 ODI World Cup semifinal at the Wankhede Stadium and has been in fabulous form across formats in domestic cricket. However, there is set to be a deep discussion on Karun,” a source in the BCCI told TOI.

India have played just six ODIs since their heart-breaking loss in the ODI World Cup final to Australia in Ahmedabad in Nov 2023, and lost an ODI series 2-1 in Sri Lanka in July last year.
06:58 (IST) Jan 18
Battling poor form, senior batsman Rohit Sharma, who led Team India to the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup, is set to continue as India’s ODI captain.

This was confirmed when the BCCI announced on Friday that, at 12.30pm on Saturday, Rohit will address a press conference along with chief selector Ajit Agarkar at the BCCI headquarters at the Wankhede Stadium here where the Indian team for the 2025 Champions Trophy in Dubai and Pakistan, which starts from Feb 19 and ends on March 9, and the three-match ODI series at home against England preceding that, will be picked by the national selectors.

There was much speculation about Rohit's future in international cricket after he stood down from India's XI in the fifth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this month in Sydney.

However, in an interview to official telecaster, the 37-year-old clarified that the decision shouldn't be misconstrued as a retirement.

In the three-Test series at home against New Zealand, all Rohit managed to score was 91 runs in six innings at an abysmal average of 15.16. His slump worsened in the BGT in Australia after that, as all he put together in three Tests (in five innings) was 31 runs at an average of 6.20.

In a bid to rediscover his form, Rohit has even trained at the Wankhede Stadium with the Mumbai team, leading up to the second leg of the Ranji Trophy, even though he hasn’t decided to yet on his participation in Mumbai’s next Ranji match against J&K at the Mumbai Cricket Association’s ground in BKC from Jan 23.

06:56 (IST) Jan 18
ICC Champions Trophy 2025 India Squad Live: Schedule and broader context
The ODIs against England are scheduled for February 6, 9, and 12, to be held in Nagpur, Cuttack, and Ahmedabad, respectively.

India will then head to Dubai for the Champions Trophy, beginning their campaign against Bangladesh on February 20, followed by matches against Pakistan on February 23 and New Zealand on March 2.

India have won the Champions Trophy twice and finished as runners-up in 2017.

Rohit and Agarkar may also address questions regarding the BCCI’s recently released 10-point policy guidelines following India’s Test series loss in Australia.

Topics like the review meeting held on January 11 and reports of unrest within the team environment could also be discussed during the interaction.


06:56 (IST) Jan 18
ICC Champions Trophy 2025 India Squad Live: Bowling considerations
In the spin department, Kuldeep Yadav’s fitness remains a concern.

The selection panel will also weigh options between Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, and Axar Patel, with Varun Chakaravarthy as an outside contender.

For fast bowling, Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami are expected to lead the attack. However, the selectors might consider adding Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, or others such as Mukesh Kumar, Harshit Rana, and Nitish Kumar Reddy, particularly if Bumrah is unavailable.
06:55 (IST) Jan 18
ICC Champions Trophy 2025 India Squad Live: Squad Composition and Key Discussions
Rohit Sharma is expected to captain the side, with Shubman Gill likely partnering him at the top.

Yashasvi Jaiswal, who has impressed in Tests and T20Is, may also be considered for a spot in the squad.

Virat Kohli’s place at No. 3 appears secure, but selectors will deliberate on the middle-order composition.

KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer, key players during the 2023 ODI World Cup, are likely to feature, given that the England series is the final opportunity to fine-tune combinations before the Champions Trophy.

For the second wicketkeeper slot, Rishabh Pant seems to be the frontrunner, though Sanju Samson remains in contention despite missing the Vijay Hazare Trophy and Kerala’s preliminary camp.

Karun Nair, leading the Vijay Hazare Trophy run charts with 752 runs, is also in the spotlight ahead of Saturday’s final between Vidarbha and Karnataka.

The selectors will assess his form and contributions as a potential addition. Hardik Pandya, depending on his performances in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, may also be included to bring balance to the side.
06:55 (IST) Jan 18
ICC Champions Trophy 2025 India Squad Live: Hello and welcome!
Hello and welcome!

India captain Rohit Sharma and chief selector Ajit Agarkar will announce the squads for the three-match ODI series against England and the upcoming Champions Trophy in Mumbai on Saturday.

According to a BCCI statement, the Agarkar-led Men’s Selection Committee will finalise the squads during a meeting on Saturday morning.

Following the meeting, Rohit and Agarkar will address the media at 12:30 PM at Wankhede Stadium. A key topic of interest at the press conference will be the fitness updates of Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav.

Bumrah, who experienced back spasms during the second innings of the Sydney Test and did not bowl, faces scrutiny regarding his readiness for the 50-over series. The pacer has a history of back injuries, including a recent one that sidelined him for 11 months before his return in time for the 2023 ODI World Cup. Meanwhile, Kuldeep, recovering from hernia surgery in October last year, has resumed bowling at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
India will play three ODIs against England on February 6, 9, and 12 in Nagpur, Cuttack, and Ahmedabad.

They will then begin their Champions Trophy campaign in Dubai on February 20 against Bangladesh, followed by matches against Pakistan (February 23) and New Zealand (March 2).

India’s squad for England ODIs and Champions Trophy:

Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill (vc), Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana (England ODIs only).