With just 2 days left till the deadline for teams to submit their provisional squads for the Champions Trophy 2025, fans are eager to see which players get a spot in Team India's squad which will travel to the UAE in a quest for another ICC trophy this year. BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar along with his committee have a tough task for themselves, picking the most suitable players for the 50-over tournament.
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Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami were pivotal in India's flawless run to the 2023 ODI World Cup final, but both are currently facing fitness concerns. Shami underwent ankle surgery in February 2024, yet his return has been postponed due to knee problems sustained while playing domestic cricket for Bengal. If he makes it through the Vijay Hazare Trophy playoffs without any setbacks, he could present a solid case for selection. Bumrah's availability remains unclear, as the BCCI has not disclosed the details of the injury that kept him out of Australia's second innings in the fifth Test in Sydney.
Should Bumrah be unavailable, Shami and Mohammed Siraj are expected to spearhead the pace attack, with Hardik Pandya offering support. However, India may look to include one or two additional seam bowlers as backups, with options like Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar, Prasidh Krishna, and Nitish Kumar Reddy being considered.
The expected selections in the squad are that of veteran players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who had performed well in the last ODI World Cup 2023 as well. This could also be the last time these two will be pairing up for an ICC tournament, making it that more special.