The press conference of Team India to announce the squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 was supposed to start at 12:30 pm IST. But it started at 3:00 PM, painting a sorry picture for the current status of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Indian captain Rohit Sharma and chief selector Ajit Agarkar were scheduled to present India’s 15-man roster for the ICC mega event on Saturday (Jan 18) evening but another “meeting” took a stern test of patience of fans and media persons at the Wankhede Stadium’s press room.
Why the delay for ICC Champions Trophy squad announcement?
India’s squad for the 2025 Champions Trophy was expected to be announced today, but the unveiling has been delayed due to an ongoing meeting regarding the selection process. The Indian think tank, including captain Rohit Sharma and chief selector Ajit Agarkar, are engaged in discussions behind closed doors.
The delay is likely due to several selection dilemmas, including the fitness status of key players like Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and Kuldeep Yadav. Bumrah’s recovery from a back injury is a major concern, while Shami and Yadav’s fitness issues also need to be addressed. Incredibly, all three have been picked.
It must be noted that the deadline to announce the squad for the ICC Champions Trophy provisional squad was on January 12. However, India sought permission for some extension due to the fact that they were part of a gruelling five-match Test series. India’s announcement was already a few days late. Hence, having another 2-hour meeting was slightly questionable.
India squad for ICC Champions Trophy 2025
- Rohit Sharma (C)
Shubman Gill (VC)
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 - Reserves: Nitish Kumar Reddy, Avesh Khan, Varun Chakravarthy
