So, the viewpoints of Rohit Sharma and the Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir haven’t aligned on most of the things. There is a paramount pressure on Team India to win another major trophy after a horrendous Test season last year and the ICC Champions Trophy provides a superb platform. But to have a successful campaign, you need a champion team. While India’s squad is surely one of the best in the tournament, it all matters on the selection of 11 players on the day.
Rohit Sharma vs Gautam Gambhir at Champions Trophy?
Apparently, ten out of the 11 player’s selections are confirmed. The only spot for discussion is for the specialist spinner. India have carried as many as five spin options, including Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy. With Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja being two proper all-rounders in the team, there will be only one spot for contention between Kuldeep and Chakravarthy. Interestingly, both Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir aren’t on the same page for this discussions.
According to CricBlogger, Rohit wants Kuldeep to feature against Bangladesh, while Gambhir has his backing on Chakravarthy. The form obviously tilts the matter with the right-arm spinner, who has taken T20I cricket by storm since his international return. He has taken 31 wickets, the most by any bowler in this period, at an extraordinary average and SR of 11.25 and 8.9, respectively.
“While sources insisted that both captain Rohit Sharma and coach Gautam Gambhir, as usual, are divided over the choice—Varun could just get the nod ahead of Kuldeep because of Gambhir’s backing. Rohit is also tempted to continue with Kuldeep because of his sheet record in the past few matches. Rohit’s choices have been crushed by Gambhir in the last few months because of the former’s poor form and another round of drama could happen about Varun and Kuldeep,” read CricBlogger’s update on the eve of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
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Varun Chakravarthy vs Kuldeep Yadav—who should get nod?
As mentioned above, Chakravarthy has been in red-hot form. Interestingly, he wasn’t in the initial Indian squad as well. Instead, with Jasprit Bumrah ruled out from the tournament, India had to bring in an X-factor and they brought in Harshit Rana and Chakravarthy and dropped Yashasvi Jaiswal to the non-travelling reserves. As for Kuldeep, he is coming on the back of a long layoff. He did play a couple of ODIs and a Ranji Trophy appearance. While he has been dishing out decently, he hasn’t been at his best—where he was prior to the injury. In the two ODIs against England, he picked as many wickets at an economy of above 5.
It would be interesting to see who India will include against Bangladesh in Dubai on February 20. Kuldeep was Rohit’s go-to bowler during the two World Cups—ODI World Cup 2023 and T20 World Cup 2024. However, Chakravarthy has reinvented himself to become a menace. Whoever India chooses on Thursday, we will know who’s decision has been put above everyone else!
Predicted India Playing XI for IND vs BAN Champions Trophy match
- Rohit Sharma (C)
- Shubman Gill
- Virat Kohli
- Shreyas Iyer
- KL Rahul (wk)
- Axar Patel
- Hardik Pandya
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Mohammed Shami
- Arshdeep Singh
- Kuldeep Yadav/Varun Chakravarthy
- Bench: Kuldeep Yadav/Varun Chakravarthy, Washington Sundar, Rishabh Pant, Harshit Rana
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