CHAMPIONS TROPHY: Rohit Sharma to lead,Shami returns

Mumbai (Team Newsbuddy). The 15-member Indian team for the ICC Champions Trophy was announced. Rohit Sharma will lead the team in this tournament starting from February 19. Fast bowlers Jaspreet Bumrah and Mohammad Shami have also been given a place in the team announced by the selection committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). India will play all its matches in the Champions Trophy in Dubai.

India-Pakistan included in one group

It is known that India had refused to send its team to Pakistan for this tournament, after which the ICC adopted the formula of hybrid model. Eight teams will participate in the Champions Trophy, which have been divided into two groups of four each. There will be 12 matches in the group stage, after which the semi-finals and the final match will be played. India and Pakistan are included in the same group and the match between the two will be played in Dubai on February 23. India will start its campaign against Bangladesh on February 20. After this, it will face Pakistan and then New Zealand on March 2. The final of the Champions Trophy will be played on March 9.

Siraj, Samson, Reddy did not get place

Indian wicketkeeper batsman Sanju Samson has not got a place in the team announced for the Champions Trophy. Apart from this, fast bowler Mohammed Siraj and all-rounder Nitish Reddy have also failed to make a place. Siraj was part of the Indian team for the T20 World Cup held last year, but he was not included for the Champions Trophy.

Shubman Gill will vice-captain

Chief selector Ajit Agarkar, while announcing the team during the press conference, said that Shubman Gill will be the vice-captain of the team in both the ODI series against England and the Champions Trophy. Shubman was also part of the ODI World Cup 2023 team.
The selectors have given a chance to most of the players involved in the ODI World Cup for the Champions Trophy. The only new faces among them are Yashasvi Jaiwal, Arshdeep Singh and Washington Sundar.

Kuldeep gets chance

Wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav has also been included in the Indian team, who was injured before the Australia tour. Kuldeep could not go on the Australia tour due to injury, but he will be a part of the team in the Champions Trophy. At the same time, star fast bowler Jaspreet Bumrah, who was injured during the fifth Test against Australia, has also got a place in the team. However, he has not been selected for the three-match ODI series against England just before the Champions Trophy and in his place Harshit Rana has been included in the team for the series against England.

Shami returns, expresses trust on Yashasvi

Shami, who performed effectively in the ODI World Cup, has returned to the ODI team. Shami has not played for India since the ODI World Cup final and he is once again ready to represent India in the ICC tournament. At the same time, young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal has also been trusted in the ODI format and he is an option for the opening batsman in the team. Yashasvi was seen in great form in 2024.

The Indian team for the Champions Trophy is as follows…

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 and Ravindra Jadeja.