After ending the ICC title drought by winning the T20 World Cup 2024, Team India will now shift focus towards Champions Trophy, scheduled to take place in Pakistan early next year. The Men in Blue will start their preparation for the 8-team quadrennial event in the form of a 3-match ODI series against hosts Sri Lanka beginning on August 2 at Colombo.
The selectors have picked a largely experienced squad for the series but there are few questions that is still lingering in the minds of many. The reason being several notable omissions in the latest squad selected for the upcoming ODI series against Sri Lanka. By the looks of things, this may not be a final squad for the Champions and some changes will be done by the management.
ODI Squad for series against Sri Lanka: Rohit Sharma (C), Ꮪhubman Gill (VC), Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Riyan Parag, Axar Patel, Khaleel Ahmed, Harshit Rana.
So what would be India’s Probable ODI squad for CT 2025?
Opener and skipper Rohit Sharma to lead the side with Shubman Gill as his deputy. The pair which played at the top of the order during the 2023 World Cup will be fixated at the top here as well. India will be tempted to go with a third back-up opener, but with the non-selection of neither Ruturaj Gaikwad nor Yashasvi Jaiswal for Sri Lanka series, the management seems to be fine with the duo at the top of the order.
Virat Kohli, the format’s leading century maker will be back at his favorite No.3 position with the successful pair of Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul backing him up in the middle-order. Rishabh Pant, who missed out during the World Cup will surely find a place in India’s CT touring party but may not be a guaranteed member of the playing XI. The other middle-order slot could go Riyan Parag or Sanju Samson and we may have seen the last of Suryakumar Yadav in the format.
All-rounders role?
The reason said for Hardik Pandya not being appointed as T20I skipper was his fitness and we have to wait & watch if it does prevent him from making the CT squad. But for now, he is a certainty along with Axar Patel. Ravindra Jadeja, India’s veteran all-rounder didn’t find a place for Sri Lanka but the selectors have not ruled him out either for CT 2025. So it is between him and Washington Sundar for the 3rd all-rounders role.
So who will join Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Siraj?
As far as ODI game goes, both Bumrah and Siraj pick themselves in the playing XI. So the other pacers in the fray include the returning Mohammad Shami who had a stellar World Cup, Arshdeep Singh, Khaleel Ahmed and Harshit Rana. Out of them, we can see two getting selected for the main squad. The lone specialist spinner slot could go to Kuldeep Yadav, who has turning up as a match-winner in all formats.
Possible India squad for Champions Trophy 2025
Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Sanju Samson/ Riyan Parag, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja/ Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Siraj, Mohammad Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh
Reserves: Shivam Dube, Samson/Parag, Harshit Rana, Khaleel Ahmed
