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India’s Champions Trophy squad announcement soon, who’s in, who’s out?

India’s Champions Trophy squad announcement soon, who’s in, who’s out?

The India cricket team will begin their ICC Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh on February 20 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

The clock is ticking. Soon, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will announce the squad for the ICC Champions Trophy. It was expected to be named along with the team for the India vs. England T20I series, but due to injury concerns to certain players, the BCCI chose to postpone presenting the 15-man squad for the tournament, which begins on February 19.

Those injury concerns mentioned above might play a major role in how the team looks. From afar, it seems two pacers and one spinner, who are ‘first name of the sheet’ candidates, could miss out. But before ruling or rather speculating on those who might miss out, let’s discuss those who are guaranteed to find themselves in the India cricket team’s squad for the ICC Champions Trophy.

Guaranteed

Team India has played just 6 ODIs in the last 14 months. They haven’t had much time on the field. While the game time might be an issue, the squad in general isn’t. Most would agree that India’s team in the ODI World Cup 2023 was one of the greatest ever sides in 50-over history.

Most of those present in that squad will be here. Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, and Rohit Sharma might be out of form, but there is no doubt they’ll be the top order. Their records speak for themselves. Kohli and Rohit were the leading scorers in the last two ODI World Cups, while Gill averages nearly 60.

Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul slot perfectly at 4 and 5. Shreyas holds the record for the fastest century in an ODI World Cup knockout match, while Rahul, who’s in the best period of his career, seems to have found the perfect mode. He can anchor or bash from the get-go.

Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja provide Team India with a balance that no two individuals in any team can. Two proper batters who, on bad days, will bowl at least 10 overs combined. Having them means both the batting and bowling are strong, and they are some of the finest fielders India has ever had as well.

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Almost there

The entire bowling lands in this section and that’s what troubling. It’s the bowlers that win you matches and tournaments. For Team India, they are major injury concerns. There are question marks over Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Shami availability.

It was reported that Bumrah’s on bed rest. He’s since refuted these claims. However, there was another report that hasn’t been refuted. That he’ll miss the group stage of the ICC Champions Trophy. His services will only come if Team India qualifies for the semifinal. And what if he’s still not fit then? For someone like him, no one would bat an eye if he skipped the tournament for his health, but Team India’s chances of victory would take a massive hit.

Shami has been included in the India vs. England T20Is, but we don’t know whether he’s fit enough for international cricket right now. He struggled to bowl four overs day in and day out in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, and it is yet to be seen how his body reacts to the grind. Kuldeep’s still at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). Unlike Shami, he hasn’t been named for England T20Is. So, we aren’t sure if he’s recovered from his groin injury and surgery. He’s bowling in the nets, but the NCA medical team hasn’t cleared him yet.

If even one of them isn’t available, Team India will suffer. But what if neither of them is available? BCCI will have to find three replacements, who frankly won’t be as good as them.

Still fighting for a spot

Yashasvi Jaiswal is expected to be included in the team. The issue is, he hasn’t played a List A match since November 2022 and is yet to make his ODI debut. His talent is unquestionable, but is the BCCI ready to take a risk days before the ICC Champions Trophy? The only two players who will be in contention for the backup opener spot will be Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ishan Kishan, but they are far away from the squad right now, it seems.

Axar Patel and Washington Sundar could fight for one spot. If Kuldeep’s fit, one of them might have to sit out for an extra pacer or batter. Both are left-handed batters but spin the ball in different directions. In an ideal scenario, both might be picked, given the matches will be played in Dubai.

Rishabh Pant hasn’t played a lot of ODIs, and when he has, his record hasn’t been great. Being he seems to have matured more, and then he’s a left-handed who, when on, is the most destructive batter there is. He also keeps wickets. His only competitor might be Sanju Samson, who didn’t even play the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

People have been questioning Mohammed Siraj’s spot. ODI might be his best format, but his struggles in other formats might determine his selection in another. Ideally, you would want him, but given the shouts of dropping and him getting overworked, he might just be replaced with Arshdeep Singh or Harshit Rana.

Another honourable mention would be Nitish Kumar Reddy. Unfortunately, he’s fighting with Hardik Pandya as the pace-bowling all-rounder who can’t be replaced. But given his rise in T20Is and Tests, he might just find himself as a travelling reserve. In case of an injury, he could be called in as a middle or lower-middle order batter who can give a couple of handy overs as well.

India’s predicted squad for ICC Champions Trophy 2025

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