The anticipation for India’s Champions Trophy 2025 squad continues to grow, with reports hinting at significant changes and a delayed announcement. Here’s the latest on India’s preparations for the marquee tournament and the England white-ball series.
Table of Contents
Key Updates:
Vice-Captain Announcement
- Axar Patel has been named vice-captain for the T20I series against England. While Hardik Pandya is in the squad, the decision to not appoint him as Suryakumar Yadav’s deputy has raised questions.
India’s T20I Squad for England Series:
- Suryakumar Yadav (C)
- Sanju Samson (wk)
- Abhishek Sharma
- Tilak Varma
- Hardik Pandya
- Rinku Singh
- Nitish Kumar Reddy
- Axar Patel (vc)
- Harshit Rana
- Arshdeep Singh
- Mohammed Shami
- Varun Chakravarthy
- Ravi Bishnoi
- Washington Sundar
- Dhruv Jurel (wk)
Jadeja’s Exclusion
- Ravindra Jadeja, who retired from T20Is, is reportedly out of contention for the Champions Trophy squad. The BCCI is exploring younger options.
Shami’s Comeback
- Mohammed Shami has been included in the T20I squad for the England series, solidifying his position for the Champions Trophy.
England Tour Details
- The England tour starts on January 22, 2025, featuring:
- 5 T20Is
- 3 ODIs
- This series serves as crucial preparation for the Champions Trophy, scheduled from February-March 2025 across venues in Pakistan and Dubai.
Tournament Locations
- India will play all its Champions Trophy games in Dubai, including potential knockouts.
Surprise Inclusions
- Varun Chakravarthy and Nitish Kumar Reddy are strong contenders for the Champions Trophy squad due to their impressive domestic performances.
- Arshdeep Singh bolstered his case with an exceptional Vijay Hazare Trophy spell, dismissing CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad in the first two overs of a match.
Injury Updates
- Mayank Yadav has been ruled out of the England series due to a back injury. He was not included in Delhi’s Ranji probables list for their upcoming fixture.
Stay tuned for further updates as the BCCI gears up to finalize the squad and embark on the road to the Champions Trophy.