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The ICC Champions Trophy 2025, set to take place from February 19 to March 9, promises to be an exciting cricket spectacle, with the world's top cricketing nations battling for supremacy. This highly anticipated tournament will be contested by the top eight teams, each vying for glory across two host nations: Pakistan and Dubai. The matches will showcase fierce competition, with thrilling encounters set to unfold at every stage of the tournament. Cricket fans around the world are eagerly awaiting the high-intensity action that the Champions Trophy always delivers.
In a recent announcement, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) unveiled the 15-member squad for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. The selection committee made some surprising and bold decisions, notably leaving out players like Sanju Samson, Mohammed Siraj, and Karun Nair from the roster. Samson, who has been exceptional in T20 Internationals, scoring three centuries in his last seven innings, was notably excluded from both the upcoming ODI series against England and the prestigious Champions Trophy. Despite his form in the shorter formats, the selectors have opted to leave him out of the squad for this major event.
Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan, a key member of the Indian team that clinched the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup in 2007 and the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013, shared his thoughts on the squad selection on social media platform X. Pathan had a few notable observations:
- He suggested that India could have added an extra fast bowler to the squad, especially given the concerns around player injuries and the potential for workload management.
- Pathan also praised Shubman Gill, stating that the young opener is on the right path for leadership, given his outstanding performances in ODIs over the past year.
- He pointed out that Mohammed Siraj’s omission is likely linked to workload management, even though Siraj's performance numbers have been strong.
- Regarding Sanju Samson, Pathan expressed empathy, admitting that if he were in Samson’s position, he would be "gutted" by the exclusion. He also wondered if Karun Nair (NKR) had been considered for the squad.
Here is the final list of the 15 players who will represent India in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025:
India Squad for ICC Champions Trophy 2025:
- Rohit Sharma (captain)
- Shubman Gill (vice-captain)
- Virat Kohli
- Shreyas Iyer
- KL Rahul
- Hardik Pandya
- Axar Patel
- Washington Sundar
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Mohammed Shami
- Arshdeep Singh
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Rishabh Pant
- Ravindra Jadeja
The squad brings together a mix of experienced veterans and talented youngsters, all set to compete on the grand stage in one of cricket’s most prestigious tournaments. The road to the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will certainly be filled with drama, surprises, and unforgettable moments
