With the end of the five-match Test series in the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, which India went on to lose by a 3-1 margin, the focus shifts to the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, scheduled to play place in Pakistan from February 19 to March 09. The Blue Brigade, due to security issues, will be playing all of their games till being live at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in the United Arab Emirates.
India was the runners-up of the last edition of the event as they lost the final to Pakistan in 2017 at the Kennington Oval in South London. They will aim to erase the tough times of the Test series down under and make a fresh start in the year 2025.
The 2013 champions of the tournament didn’t enjoy a great time in the 50-over format last year in Sri Lanka, having lost the series on the Island in nearly two decades. The selectors of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will sit on Monday (January 06) to decide the final squad for the competition.
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As a preparation for the 50-over tournament, they will be engaged in a three-match series against England at home, starting from February 06 in Nagpur, followed by two more clashes in Cuttack and Ahmedabad. The squad for these three encounters is expected to be the same for the ICC event unless one of the pacers wants to get a break.
Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant are confirmed in India’s squad for Champions Trophy 2025
The journalist of Revsportz, Rohit Juglan, has confirmed that Rohit would be leading the Indian side in the tournament, despite being ‘opted for rest’ for the fifth and final Test of the BGT 2024-25 at the Sydney Cricket Ground on the back of his poor form with the bat, as he could collect only 31 runs in five innings at an average of 6.20.
Rohit was the second leading run-getter of the 2023 ODI World Cup with the help of 597 runs in 11 innings at an average of 54.27 and a strike rate of 125.94 with the help of three half-centuries and one century at the best score of 131. His aggressive mindset at the opening position kept India ahead in many contests.
Rishabh Pant was in decent touch during the BGT 2024-25 with the help of 255 runs in nine innings at an average of 28.33 and a strike rate of nearly 60 with the help of one half-century. His place in the squad for the Champions Trophy is almost confirmed.
The only expected discussion for the board selectors will be around the left-arm pace bowler of the side, Arshdeep Singh, who has earned 12 wickets in the 50-over format in seven ODI innings at an average of 24.08 with a strike rate of 28.5.
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The Punjab-born is currently involved in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) 2024-25 with the help of 17 wickets in six innings, with the best of 5/38 against Mumbai in Ahmedabad. The premier pacer of the side, Jasprit Bumrah, injured himself in Sydney. Without a doubt, India is getting extra cautious with the fresh back spasm of the Ahmedabad-born.
Mohammad Siraj looked drained by the end of the series, while there is no guarantee that Mohammad Shami would be fit enough to participate in the series. All of the other big guns, like Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli, or Hardik Pandya, are expected to be back for the event. The runners-up will begin their campaign on February 20, against Bangladesh.