The India cricket team has named their final squad for the ICC Champions Trophy. Excluding Jasprit Bumrah, who’s still recovering from a lower back injury he sustained in Sydney, many might find themselves unlucky. Such is the strength of the current Team India setup that players like Yashasvi Jaiswal aren’t even part of the 15-man squad. But exactly how strong is the bench? Well, it’s strong enough to beat some of the teams participating in the 8-team tournament. We can perhaps even name an XI, which may give the main team a run for their money, much like the Australian 90s era.
Gaikwad & Jaiswal to open
Such will be the competition in this unselected XI for the ICC Champions Trophy that some players will miss out even here. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal will be the openers. Here Abhishek Sharma and Prabhsimran Singh have good shoutouts. Both were excellent in the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) and in Abhishek’s case, he’s been a revelation in the T20Is. Gaikwad has the fifth-highest List A average in history (56.15). Jaiswal isn’t too far behind with a 52.62 average and 5 hundreds (including 1 double century) in 33 matches.
Ishan Kishan, the wicketkeeper
Ishan Kishan can’t find the opener’s spot, so he’ll be pushed to number three and will also be the wicketkeeper. He’s got an ODI double hundred and has played in the ODI World Cup as well. Yes, he isn’t close to the pecking order, but that doesn’t mean he won’t make it.
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Karun Nair gets his deserving chance
The middle order will consist of Tilak Varma and Karun Nair. Like Abhishek, Tilak is in red-hot form, and he’s already played a couple of ODIs. Nair has been picked for his recent domestic form. His exploits in the VHT had many calling for his inclusion in the Champions Trophy squad. He couldn’t take them there, but with a 389.50 in the VHT, he’ll be here for sure.
Two all-rounders, Shivam Dube and Riyan Parag, are there. Both played in Team India’s second-last ODI series in Sri Lanka. Dube, like Jaiswal, has been picked as the non-travelling reserve, so he makes this team with ease. The same goes for Parag, who can spin the ball and is a good hitter.
Siraj and Chahal back
Let’s come to the bowlers now. Since Dubai is the venue, apart from Parag, two spinners will be in the XI and another one in the squad. These will be Yuzvendra Chahal and R Sai Kishore. They’ll offer three different types of spin. Parag and Kishore (orthodox right and left arms) and Chahal will be the wrist spinners, with Ravi Bishnoi being his backup.
As for the pacers, there will be three. Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj will start, and Avesh Khan will be the backup. Both Avesh and Prasidh have been a part of the ODI team before, and Siraj was a mainstay until a couple of weeks ago. The remaining backup will be Dhruv Jurel, who’ll be the second wicketkeeper.
India’s Unselected XI for Champions Trophy
Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal*, Ishan Kishan (wk), Tilak Varma, Karun Nair, Shivam Dube*, Riyan Parag, R Sai Kishore, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Siraj*, Prasidh Krishna
Bench: Abhishek Sharma, Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi, Dhruv Jurel
