Team India Probable Squad For Champions Trophy and England Series

India Probable Squad, Players L for Champions Trophy, England Series 2025: With the Border-Gavaskar Trophy done and dusted, India will quickly shift their focus towards the Champions Trophy which begins on February 19 in Pakan, with the Men in Blue playing their group-stage matches in Dubai.With only a month of left to the tournament, India will have three ODIs in the first week of February to complete their preparations. However, a provisional squad for the Champions Trophy must be finalised every team before the ICC January 12.
Having conceded the World Cup title to Australia in 2023, the Champions Trophy presents Rohit Sharma’s men another shot at grabbing an ICC 50-overs title. Having only played three ODIs last year, India’s squad composition is unlikely to reflect major changes. But the team management and the selectors will bear in mind the tacky conditions in Dubai, unlike the venues in Pakan that are likely to host batting beauties.
While several members pick themselves, India will have some potentially tricky calls to make after injury concerns with their lead seamers. The Indian Express takes a look at the contenders for the 15-member squad across each department.
Batters
In Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul, India have four straight choices in the top-order. With Rahul likely to continue as the lead keeper from the World Cup and the ODIs last year in Sri Lanka, India could pick two more batters/keeper for the top-middle order. With the lack of left-handed options up top, Yashasvi Jaiswal is likely to take one spot as the backup opener.

Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson will be in the race for the second keeper’s spot, with neither player having played 50-overs cricket in recent months. Pant’s only outing in Sri Lanka, replacing Rahul, had him fall for six. Meanwhile, Samson’s last ODI outing for India in 2023 helped the side win their series in South Africa, with the Kerala batter scoring his maiden century.

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Bowlers
With Jasprit Bumrah’s back issues in Australia causing a major worry for the management, India’s bowling options remain thin on experience. The side will hope to recall Mohammed Shami for the first time since the last World Cup, given that the 34-year-old has been regularly turning up for Bengal across formats. Shami will also continue to play for the state in the Vijay Hazare Trophy knockouts, starting January 9.
While his workload is a matter of concern, Mohammed Siraj is slated to make the 15, with left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh joining the set after an impressive VHT season. Among special spinners, Kuldeep Yadav will also be in focus as he charts his comeback from a surgery in December. If the left-arm wr-spinner fails to make the cut, Tamil Nadu spinner Varun Chakaravarthy could be the dark-horse pick. If Bumrah and Shami fail to attain full fitness, India could turn to the mix of Prasidh Krishna, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar and Harshit Rana to replace them in the squad.

All-Rounders
Hardik Pandya will be an inevitable pick for the side to achieve balance in the XI, but India will have to deliberate whether the Baroda all-rounder will require a seam back-up or not. With relatively slow conditions on offer in the UAE, India would perhaps stick to spin-bowling all-rounders with Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja and Riyan Parag in the mix. With white-ball form in his stride, left-armer Axar could pip his senior teammate Jadeja to helm the spin attack. Parag and Sundar could make the last toss-up for the side, with the Tamil Nadu all-rounder’s left-handed batting making a crucial point of difference.
India’s Potential ODI squad for Champions Trophy and England series:
Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar (Riyan Parag*/Ravindra Jadeja), Kuldeep Yadav* (Varun Chakaravarthy), Jasprit Bumrah* (Prasidh Krishna), Mohammad Shami (Mukesh Kumar), Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (wk) (Sanju Samson).
*Currently injured players/Returning from injury
Other contenders and back-ups:Nitish Reddy, Tilak Varma, Khaleel Ahmed, Shivam Dube, Harshit Rana.

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