New Delhi [India], February 19 (ANI): The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice-president Rajeev Shukla said on Wednesday that Team India will win the ICC Champions Trophy despite star pacer Jasprit Bumrah’s absence due to injury.
India’s ICC Champions Trophy campaign will kick off with a match against Bangladesh at Dubai on February 19, followed by matches against arch-rivals Pakistan (February 23) and New Zealand (March 2). As per the hybrid model, India will play all its matches in Dubai instead of Pakistan.
India will miss the services of its pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah as he has been ruled out due to a lower back injury. Young pacer Harshit Rana has made his way into the team as a replacement. Bumrah has been missing from on-field action since January. His last appearance was in Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test against Australia in Sydney. After bowling 10.1 overs in the first innings, the A-Lister was visibly in discomfort and went for scans. He was advised by the Australian doctors not to participate in the remainder of the Sydney Test. He came out to bat in the second innings but did not take up his duties with the ball.
Speaking to ANI, Shukla said, “Champions Trophy has started today in Karachi (Pakistan). Tomorrow, we have a match with Bangladesh. Our team is in full form and paying with determination. I am confident that we will win both tomorrow’s match and the match with Pakistan on February 23. We will reach the finals of the tournament…There is no doubt that Bumrah’s absence will have an impact. Our three bowlers and four spinners will perform very well. India will win the finals to become the champions of the Champions Trophy.”
Also, spinner Varun Chakravarthy has been drafted into the squad following fine performances against England in home T20Is. Bumrah has been missing from on-field action since January. His last appearance was in Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test against Australia in Sydney.
On the other hand, young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal has been omitted from the team and placed in non-travelling reserves after being named in the main squad initially. This comes after his ODI debut in the three-match series opener against England.
In his ODI debut, the young southpaw failed to deliver with the bat and flopped with a knock of 15(22). In the second ODI, Jaiswal was dropped from the playing XI for Virat Kohli, and Chakaravarthy made his ODI debut. He returned with figures of 1/54 in his 10-over spell.
India’s squad for ICC Champions Trophy, 2025: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill (Vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohd. Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy.
Non-travelling substitutes: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mohammed Siraj and Shivam Dube. The three players will travel to Dubai as and when required. (ANI)
