By Rohit - Feb 12, 2025 01:49 PM
India's preparations for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 have been dealt a blow with the news that star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out due to a lower back injury. The BCCI confirmed the development, announcing that young pacer Harshit Rana will replace Bumrah in the 15-member squad.
Bumrah's absence is a significant loss for India. The experienced bowler last played an ODI in the World Cup final against Australia in November 2023 and had been struggling with fitness concerns. Despite being initially named in the provisional squad, his back issue has ultimately sidelined him for the tournament.
In another change to the squad, young opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal has also been omitted. He will be replaced by spinner Varun Chakaravarthy, who recently made his ODI debut against New Zealand. This change suggests a potential shift in strategy for India, perhaps focusing on bolstering their spin options.
The BCCI also named three non-travelling substitutes: Jaiswal, fast bowler Mohammed Siraj, and all-rounder Shivam Dube. These players will travel to Dubai and be available for selection if needed.
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.
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mohammed Siraj, Shivam Dube.
The Champions Trophy is scheduled to take place from February 19th to March 9th across three venues in Pakistan and one in Dubai. India will be hoping these changes, while necessitated by unfortunate circumstances, will still allow them to compete strongly for the title.
Also Read: Australia team announce final squad for Champions Trophy 2025
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