Top of the table clash in our group stage best possible playing 11 for the India vs New Zealand Champions Trophy 2025.
It feels like only yesterday when the tournament started, but we are already at the end of the group stage matches of the ICC Champions Trophy. It is such a short tournament by any ICC standards that there are only 12 group stage matches, and it takes only 15 matches to decide the winner. What’s more, every match feels like a knock-out, and a loss will put you on the exit doors. It is surprising to be called an ICC tournament when even the Asia Cup has more matches scheduled than this.
Nevertheless, after 10 odd matches, India and New Zealand have already qualified for the semi-finals of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. But what’s at stake in their match is the possibility of finishing at the top of the table. Yes, a top-of-the-table finish means the winning team will play the second-placed team from Group B. If South Africa win their next match they will finish at the top, and play the loser of India and New Zealand. Whereas if they lose, the winner of Afghanistan and Australia will play the loser of India and NZ match.
With this match being important, it will be interesting to see if both India and New Zealand make any changes to their playing 11. The last time these two met in an ICC event, it was a run-feast as India piled up 400 runs, and New Zealand gave a tough fight, but lost by 70 odd runs. But how are things two years since that match? Well, India look favourites, but New Zealand can never be discounted. So, as we wait for the match, let’s look at the best possible playing 11 for the India vs New Zealand Champions Trophy 2025 clash.
Tournament: Champions Trophy 2025
Match Type: Group Stage Match – India vs NZ
Where: Dubai, UAE
When: March, 02, 2:30 pm IST
The Dubai pitch has been on the slower side in both matches so far. While the opposition has definitely struggled, Team India’s batting has also not looked so comfortable. With possibly three more matches expected to be scheduled in Dubai, expect the pitches to deteriorate even further. Both New Zealand and India have quality bowling, so expecting a 300+ clash will be far sight.
Team India played a consistent playing 11 in both the matches so far in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Will Team India continue to play to the strength, or give someone else the opportunity to play. Well, India should ideally be playing the same playing 11 to make sure the lineup is not disturbed. But India may want to give Mohammed Shami some rest. Shami is coming off an injury, and getting some rest before the all-important semi-final will be crucial for him. So, expect India to play Arshdeep Singh in place of Mohammed Shami.
Apart from this, if at all India does any changes, it will be to bring in Washington Sundar for maybe Ravindra Jadeja. The New Zealand team has a lot of lefties, and Sundar will be helpful against them. That means India can also think of resting Ravindra Jadeja, and bring in Sundar in place of him. Aside from these two changes, expect India to continue with the same playing 11 and batting lineup.
Champions Trophy 2025 Official Squad List for New Zealand
The New Zealand team made two changes in their last match as they brought in Rachin Ravindra and Kyle Jamieson and Daryl Mitchell and Nathan Smith respectively. While Nathan Smith was dropped, Daryl was injured, and hence was given rest. But if Mitchell is fit, he should make his way in the playing 11, and in that case, one of Will Young or Devon Conway should be dropped. It’s a tough call as Young hit a century already, and Conway is a star batter. But New Zealand will have to make this tough call, and Young may be left out of this match.
India vs NZ CT 2025 Best Playing 11 for New Zealand
Batters: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Kane Williamson & Shubman Gill
Wks: Tom Latha
All-rounders: Hardik Pandya, Rachin Ravindra & Mitchell Santner
Bowlers: Harshit Rana & Will O’Rourke
CVC Choice: Kane Williamson & Virat Kohli
So, that’s about the India vs New Zealand 2025 best playing 11 for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Team India, the standout in our best bowling attack ranking for all 8 teams for the ICC Champions Trophy (CT) 2025.
The Champions Trophy 2025 seems to be following a similar template to that of the T20 World Cup 2024 with pitches being on a slightly lower-side; although T20 World Cup pitches were far more extreme. The CT 2025 tournament has seen only a few matches, and we still have more than half of the tournament still left. But with pitches showing signs of deterioration already, the upcoming matches will be even more on the slower side.
With such pitches being offered, the bowling attack also takes shape accordingly. Teams are now looking at adding more spinners, or bowlers with more variations to the side. However, barring a few teams that don’t have a good spin attack, there are at least 4 to 5 teams that have a lot of slower bowlers in their side. But will teams change the bowling attack as the tournament progresses? Well, it will be interesting to see if teams do that by chopping and changing the bowling attack.
But irrespective of the conditions, how does the bowling attack look like for all 8 teams? While Bangladesh and Pakistan have already been eliminated, it is still important to see what bowling attack they currently have, and where they went wrong. So, in this article, we take a look at the best bowling attack ranking for all 8 teams for the ICC Champions Trophy (CT) 2025.
The Bangladesh team is already out of the ICC Champions League, but in both matches, the team gave a good fight with the ball. Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmad led the pace bowling attack for Bangladesh, and Mehidy Miraz and Rishad Hossain led the spin bowling attack for Bangladesh. As a fifth bowler, Bangladesh switched between Nahid Rana and Tanzim Sakib with the former giving a good performance.
The Afghanistan team has continued with their spin-centric bowling attack with pace bowling taken care of mostly by the all-rounders. Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad led the spin-bowling attack for Afghanistan with support from Mohammad Nabi. With a strong spin bowling attack in place, the pace bowling will see the trio of Fazalhaq Farroqi, Azmatullah Omarzai, and Gulbadin Naib.
The Pakistan team has already suffered two humiliating defeats, and is out of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final race. While Batting has been the pain point of Pakistan, the bowling has been equally bad too. Led by Shaheen Afridi and Abrar Ahmed, who have been decent, the likes of Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Khusdil Shah, and Salman Agha haven’t been able to create the pressure required in the bowling department.
The England team started the tournament with a loss, putting them in a do-or-die situation against Afghanistan. While bowling has been below-par for England, the team also suffered a big loss with Brydon Carse being ruled out. The team is lacking a quality fifth bowler, and that is already hampering their chances. Hopefully, Jos Buttler inspires confidence in the team, and this bowling lineup can come out with flying colours against Afghanistan.
The Australian team started the tournament with a good victory over England. However, the team is following the batting depth approach, and has to rely on Marnus Labuschagne, Matthew Short, and Glenn Maxwell for 10 overs. With 10 risky overs, Australia also doesn’t have a strong pace-bowling attack with 3 key pacers missing. The team will now have to rely on Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, and mostly Sean Abbott, and this isn’t the most reliable bowling attack.
The New Zealand team lost Ben Sears and Lockie Ferguson ahead of the competition. And because of that, the team is facing a challenge in terms of their third seamer. However, the spin department looks solid for New Zealand with Mitchell Santner, Michael Bracewell, and Glenn Phillips taking the charge. It’s a potent bowling attack for New Zealand, but the lack of a wrist spinner can be an issue for them.
South Africa lost Anrich Nortje ahead of the tournament. But even without Nortje, South Africa’s bowling looks strong, and they have Kagiso Rabada, Marco Janse, Lungi Ngidi, and Wiaan Mulder as strong pace bowling options. Alongside these four, South Africa have Keshav Maharaj and Aiden Markram to support the spin department. It’s a good bowling attack, and almost second-best in the competition.
Team India undoubtedly have the best bowling lineup among all teams. The team is currently playing in Dubai, and given the slow nature of the pitches, the Indian team has been able to absorb the pressure of the absence of Jasprit Bumrah. Mohammed Shami is leading the pace bowling attack, and Kuldeep Yadav is leading the spin attack. These two are nicely supported by Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Harshit Rana. It’s a good bowling attack that can work in tandem in all bowling conditions.
So, that’s about the ranking of the best bowling attack for the ICC Champions Trophy (CT) 2025.
Virat Kohli and Babar Azam head-to-head in the group stage best possible playing 11 for the India vs Pakistan Champions Trophy 2025.
The moment is finally here. Yes, it is the clash of the mother of all matches as India take on Pakistan in Group A clash of Champions Trophy 2025. It’s an important match for both teams as a win here for Team India will confirm their qualification for the Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final. Whereas a defeat for Pakistan will almost confirm their elimination from the tournament.
The last time these two teams met in the ICC Champions Trophy, Pakistan humiliated India in a one-sided final in 2017. It was the Sarfaraz Khan-led side that defeated the Virat Kohli-led side by a huge margin. Whereas in the last ICC tournament match, India came out victorious in the T20 World 2024 clash in the USA. But the 2025 scenes seem different as we have two contrasting teams on table.
Team India are the favourites going into the game. The team is much stronger, and well-equipped in all departments. Barring the loss of Jasprit Bumrah, there are hardly any weaknesses in the team. Whereas Pakistan look depleted in most of the departments. The bowling looks sub-par, the batting lacks the punch, and there are hardly any all-rounders in the side. With such opposite team combinations, it looks difficult for Pakistan to overcome this powerpack Indian side.
Tournament: Champions Trophy 2025
Match Type: Group Stage Match – India vs Pak
Where: Dubai, UAE
When: February 23, 2025, 2:30 pm IST
The pitch conditions in Dubai haven’t been kind to the batters. Batting under lights has been difficult, and that’s pretty contrasting to what we usually see in Dubai. So, in an ideal scenario, if India bat first, expect this to be a high-scoring contest. But if Pakistan bat first, it should be a 250-ish kind of wicket. But to tackle this pitch, what’s the playing 11 that India vs Pakistan will witness for the group A clash of Champions Trophy 2025? Well, let’s analyze the squad of both teams.
If we talk about Team India’s playing 11, the teams may continue with the same winning combination that played against Bangladesh. The inclusion of Harshit Rana in the team could be debatable, but after his solid performance, even that debate will be put to rest for now. So, Team India should continue with the same 3-pace and 3-spin bowling combination.
However, all eyes will be on Virat Kohli, who had a poor start to the tournament against Bangladesh. In a rather low-scoring contest, Virat Kohli had the ideal opportunity to get back to form. Unfortunately, Kohli ended up playing a dull innings. But Pakistan is one team that Kohli has always loved playing against. So, expect Kohli to come out of his shell, give a solid performance against Pakistan, and stamp his authority as the King of the game.
Champions Trophy 2025 Official Squad List for Pakistan
Pakistan suffered a big blow in the first match of the tournament when their star opener Fakhar Zaman got injured. Such was the severity of the injury that he was ruled out of the tournament, and Imam-ul-Haq was named as the replacement. With Fakhar not there, Pakistan’s batting looks even more weak as compared to what it was. Nevertheless, expect Pakistan to make change, and that’s to bring Imam-ul-Haq in the playing 11 for Fakhar Zaman.
If Pakistan don’t decide to go ahead with Imam-ul-Haq, they can ask Saud Shakeel to open with Babar Azam, and play Kamran Ghulam as the replacement for Fakhar Zaman. However, this move will only weaken their batting, and they would not like that ideally. But whichever team Pakistan deploys, it is a no match to this strong Indian team that looks complete in all areas.
India vs Pak CT 2025 Best Playing 11 for Pakistan
Batters: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Babar Azam & Shubman Gill
Wks: KL Rahul & Mohammad Rizwan
All-rounders: Hardik Pandya
Bowlers: Mohammed Shami, Naseem Shah & Harshit Rana
CVC Choice: Virat Kohli & Babar Azam
So, that’s about the India vs Pakistan 2025 best playing 11 for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Team India start as the favourites in our best possible playing 11 for all 8 teams for the Champions Trophy (CT) 2025.
The moment is here. The moment we all have been eagerly waiting for. The ICC Champions Trophy, which is making a comeback after 8 years will kick-start on Feb 19, 2025, with New Zealand taking on hosts Pakistan in the Group A clash. It’s the fight of champions as the top 8 ODI teams on paper battle it out against each other for the ultimate glory.
While all teams were excited to witness the clash, most of the teams have been severely it by injuries with Australia being hit the most. While Australia lost as many as 5 players from their squad, India, South Africa, New Zealand, and Afghanistan lost 1 each. With so many players missing, it certainly affected the playing 11 of each team, and changes the team combination drastically.
So, in this article, we make an attempt to analyze the complete squad and players list of all 8 teams, for Champions Trophy 2025 and identify the team combination each team is likely to play. The focus shall be on identifying the players that are likely to feature in the playing 11. So, without wasting much time, let’s deep-dive into the best possible playing 11 for all 8 teams for the Champions Trophy 2025.
Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Fareed Ahmad, Noor Ahmad & Fazalhaq Farooqi.
Afghanistan will see a stable opening combination of Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz with Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi to follow as pure batters. With four solid batters, Afghanistan will see their all-rounders Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, and Mohammad Nabi. The bowling shall depend on Rashid Khan, Fareed Ahmad, Noor Ahmad, and Fazalhaq Farooqi.
Travis Head, Matthew Short, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith (c), Josh Inglis (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Aaron Hardie, Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa & Spencer Johnson.
Australia may have lost many quality bowlers, but their batting lineup is still intact. Travis Head and Matthew Short as opening partners is a solid choice. Labuschange, Steve Smith, and Josh Inglis in the middle-order is a solid combination. Maxwell as a finisher is fantastic. Probably, Australia might miss an all-rounder, but Aaron Hardie and Sean Abbott are potent lower-order batters. The bowling looks decent with Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, and Spencer Johnson leading the attack.
Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Shami & Kuldeep Yadav.
Team India did a lot of experimentation in the England ODI series, but they are likely to play a stable and experienced playing 11 in the Champions Trophy. While batting till number 7 seems sorted, the team should play Axar Patel as the floating all-rounder for batting depth. Whereas the bowling should mostly comprise of Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, and Kuldeep Yadav.
Will Young, Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (wk), Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner (c), Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry & Will O’Rourke.
The New Zealand team’s biggest dilemma in the playing 11 shall be the availability of Rachin Ravindra. Rachin was severely hit on the face, and since then has been unavailable. If Rachin is fit, he should play above Will Young. If not, Will Young should continue. Another challenge is the fitness of Lockie Ferguson. While Lockie bowled 3 overs in the warmup match, it will be interesting to see if he is continued in the playing 11.
Ben Duckett, Phil Salt (wk), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c), Liam Livingstone, Jamie Overton, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid & Mark Wood.
The England team had a nightmare in India in the ODI series, but there is definitely quality in the playing 11. Ben Duckett and Phil Salt should be the openers in the team with Joe Root, Harry Brook, and Jos Buttler in the middler-order. The finishing duties shall rely on Liam Livingstone and Jamie Overton. Whereas the bowling shall rely on Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Brydon Carse, and Mark Wood.
Temba Bavuma (c), Tony de Zorzi, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), David Miller, Marco Jansen, Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada & Tabraiz Shamsi.
South Africa look one of the best teams in the competition. The team should see Temba Bavuma and Tony de Zorzi as openers with Rassie, Markram, and Klaasen forming the middle-order. The finishing duties are also solid with a focus on David Miller and Marco Jansen. Given the form Mulder is in, he should be preferred above Lungi at the moment. Whereas bowling should rely on Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, and mostly Tabraiz Shamsi.
Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (c&wk), Salman Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Khusdil Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf & Abrar Ahmed.
The hosts Pakistan have a few challenges in their playing 11, and there is inexperience in this side. Aside from Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and somewhat Salman Agha, the other batters, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, and Khusdil Shah are inexperienced. This can be an issue for the hosts, but they do have competent bowling to cover up their batting weakness. The only question in the playing 11 is whether Pakistan select Haris Rauf or Faheem Ashraf.
Tanzid Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Najmul Shanto (c), Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Jaker Ali, Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Tanzim Sakib, Taskin Ahmed & Mustafizur Rahman.
The Bangladesh team will see Tanzid Hasan and Soumya Sarkar as the two solid openers. Captain Najum Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, and Mushfiqur Rahim will make up for a solid middle-order. The finishing duties shall rely on Jaker Ali and Mahmudullah. Whereas the bowling shell depend on Mehidy Miraz, Tanzim Sakib, Taskin Ahmed, and Mustafizur Raman.
So, that’s about the best playing 11 for all 8 teams for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Injuries hit the tournament in our official revised new squad and players list for each team for the Champions Trophy (CT) 2025.
Injuries are unfortunate! But if the injuries happen right before a Mega event, it is the worst feeling for any team or fan. The 2025 edition of the ICC Champions Trophy will kick-start in just 4 days. The excitement was already sky-high. But right before the tournament, as many as 9 players have been ruled out of the tournament, either for injury concerns, or opt-outs. Australia have been severely hit with as many as 5 players being ruled out.
This is a big problem for teams that have been preparing for this grand clash. Australia have been severely hit with 5 first-choice players being ruled. For Australia, Pat Cummins, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Marsh, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc have been ruled out. Aside from these five, Allah Ghazanfar from Afghanistan, Jacob Bethell from England, Jasprit Bumrah from India, Ben Sears from New Zealand, and Anrich Nortje from South Africa have been ruled out.
With so many players missing, it is needless to say that the balance of most of the teams has been affected. Many of these players were first-choice players for their respective teams. For example, Cummins, Hazlewood, and Starc were three of their best bowlers. Similarly, Jasprit Bumrah was India’s best bowler. So, with all replacements being officially announced, let’s look at the complete revised squad players list for all 8 teams for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Batters
Wicket-keepers
All-rounders
Bowlers
Afghanistan’s Allah Ghazanfar was ruled out Champions Trophy due to injury. In his place, Afghanistan added all-rounder Nangyal Kharote.
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Wicket-keepers
All-rounders
Bowlers
Australia saw five players being ruled out of their Champions Trophy squad. While Cummins, Hazlewood, and Mitchell Marsh were ruled out due to injury, Starc opted out due to personal reasons, and Stoinis retired from the format. In their place, Australia added Jake Fraser-McGurk, Ben Dwarshuis, Sean Abbott, Spencer Johnson, and Tanvir Sangha.
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Wicket-keepers
All-rounders
Bowlers
Batters
Wicket-keepers
All-rounders
Bowlers
For England, Jacob Bethell was ruled out of the Champions Trophy 2025 squad due to injury. In his place, England added Tom Banton.
Batters
Wicket-keepers
All-rounders
Bowlers
For India, Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out of the Champions Trophy 2025 squad due to injury. While India added Harshit Rana in place of Jasprit Bumrah, the team also added an extra spinner, Varun Chakravarthy in place of Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Batters
Wicket-keepers
All-rounders
Bowlers
For New Zealand, Ben Sears was ruled out of the Champions Trophy 2025 squad due to injury. In his place, New Zealand added Jacob Duffy.
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All-rounders
Bowlers
Batters
Wicket-keepers
All-rounders
Bowlers
For South Africa, Anrich Nortje was ruled out of the Champions Trophy 2025 squad due to injury. In his place, South Africa added Corbin Bosch.
So, that’s about the official revised squad and players list for all 8 teams for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Feb 19, the start date as we look at the complete official schedule fixtures list for the ICC Champions Trophy (CT) 2025.
The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is just a week away, but at least three teams have been severely hit with injuries ahead of the tournament. While Australia have five players that are already ruled out including their Captain Pat Cummins, South Africa have one player being ruled out in the form of Anrich Nortje, and Team India have lost their star player, Jasprit Bumrah.
This is the first time in years that we are seeing so many players getting affected due to injuries and opt-outs. While injuries are part and parcel of the game, it’s unfortunate from a team’s perspective as it affects the team balance drastically. But each team will have to accept the reality, and especially Australia who are being affected the most with five first-choice players getting ruled out.
The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 begins on Feb 19 with New Zealand taking on Pakistan in Group A clash. While Pakistan, New Zealand, India, and Bangladesh are in Group A, Group B comprises Australia, Afghanistan, England, and South Africa. Looking at the Champions Trophy 2025 groups, one can say Group B is looking like Group of Death. However, the NZ and Pakistan clash is literally a knock-out clash if we look technically.
In terms of the format for ICC Champions Trophy 2025, there are 8 teams, and 4 teams are divided into two groups as shown above. Each team will play 3 group stage matches, and basis the Standings, the top 2 teams from each group will proceed to the Semi-finals. It’s a pretty simple format with 12 Group Stage matches, 2 Semis, and 1 grand finale on March 9.
Overall, Pakistan are the host of the Champions Trophy 2025, but since India have refused to travel to Pakistan due to internal country conflict, all matches where India will be playing shall be conducted in Dubai. Meanwhile, the venues from Pakistan are Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi. The grand finale shall be played in Dubai or Lahore depending on whether India plays or not.
Overall, from the squad standpoint, any changes to the provisional squad should be done before 12th Feb, 2025. Any changes after this should be done with the permission of the ICC. Meanwhile, the Cricket fans are eagerly waiting for the India vs Pakistan clash, which is scheduled on Feb 23 from 2:30 am IST onwards. So, as we wait for the tournament, here’s the official schedule fixtures for the tournament.
Meanwhile, as we wait for the tournament to begin, let’s look at the new squad list and fixtures list for Team India for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. In terms of updates for Team India, Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out, and Yashasvi Jaiswal has been dropped. In place of both these players, Team India have added Harshit Rana and Varun Chakravarthy. Overall, Harshit is a like-for-like replacement for Bumrah. But seeing Varun in place of Yashasvi means India are looking for an extra bowler.
So, that’s about the complete schedule fixtures list for ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Ruturaj Gaikwad as the leader in our alternate best squad and players list for Team India for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
One of the most exciting events of the season, the Champions Trophy 2025 is just a few weeks away. The tournament that is making a comeback after a gap of 8 years is a special event where the 8 best ODI teams fight it out for the ultimate glory, the Champions Trophy. It is a unique format where 8 teams are divided into two groups, and each team plays 3 group stage matches followed by a Semi-final and then a Final.
Team India had already announced their official 15-member squad for the Champions Trophy 2025. As expected, India have selected a strong squad led by charismatic Rohit Sharma. Aside from Rohit, the team has the likes of Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, etc.
Given the limitations surrounding the squad, only 15 members are allowed to be selected. With a strong 15-member squad being there, it doesn’t mean there were no more deserving players who were also in contention, but could not make it. So, in this article, we will take a look at the strongest alternate best missing squad and players list for Team India for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Starting with the expected Captain of the squad, we will look at a young player who has the potential to lead the side, is already an IPL side, and has also led the Indian team in the past. Yes, we are talking about Ruturaj Gaikwad, who has not only been a solid 50-overs format batter, but is already an exceptional leader with MS Dhoni’s DNA in him. It would be ideal for Ruturaj to lead the side as he has also been constantly neglected by the Indian team in all three formats.
Aside from Ruturaj, we have Rinku Singh, Sai Sudharsan, Suryakumar Yadav, and Tilak Varma among first-choice batters. Barring Suryakumar Yadav, whose ODI format dream may be over, the others like Rinku Singh, Sai Sudharsan, and Tilak Varma are all solid batters. The good thing about this batting lineup is the presence of lefties, unlike the primary squad, which doesn’t have many left-handers in the side.
Coming to wicket-keepers, India had selected Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul. While these two are solid keepers, their alternatives Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson are equally potent. In fact, this is a category, and the potential of Kishan and Sanju that even if these two are selected above Pant and KL Rahul, it wouldn’t be a problem. Both Sanju and Kishan have performed well in ODIs, but have been constantly ignored.
For the All-rounders, India does not have many options to explore. Among the strong options, India have only Nitish Reddy and Abhishek Sharma. Given India have already selected 4 all-rounders in the primary side, we are only left with two good options. The team also has Shivam Dube, but that would weaken the bowling attack given Abhishek himself is more of a make-shift all-rounder.
Finally, for bowling, India have a solid combination of 4 pacers and 2 spinners. Among quality pacers, India have Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Mayank Yadav, and Shardul Thakur. Whereas among spinners, India have Varun Chakravarthy and Yuzvendra Chahal. It’s a good bowling lineup for India. While Harshit is already projected as the backup for Bumrah, Shardul was a part of India’s World Cup squad, and Sirai was unfortunately left out of the squad. Similarly, Varun and Chahal are quality bowlers to miss India’s Champions Trophy squad.
Batters:
Wicket-keepers:
All-rounders:
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So, that’s about the strongest missing squad for Team India for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. If we observe the squad, the team has solid potential to qualify for the Semi-finals. Such is the team strength that few of these players even have the potential to displace the already selected squad for Team India. Nevertheless, players from the missing squad can still make it to the primary squad if any of the senior players are injured, although we hope that situation doesn’t happen.
Rohit Sharma to lead the Indian team as BCCI reveals the official squad and players list for India for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on January 18 finally announced the official squad for Team India for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Amidst the injury issues of Jasprit Bumrah, BCCI delayed the announcement (initially planned for Jan 12) by a week so that they have a confirmed news on his availability. But it was worth the wait as Jasprit Bumrah has been declared fit, and will be a part of the setup for the Champions trophy.
BCCI has selected a 15-member squad for Champions Trophy 2025, which mostly seems in line with the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 squad. Rohit Sharma, whose place as the Captain was in question ahead of the tournament has been asked to continue to lead the team for one more time for the big event. The last ICC event as we know saw Rohit Sharma’s team lifting the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 trophy in the West Indies.
Breaking down the 15-member squad, BCCI has selected 5 batters, 2 wicket-keepers, 4 all-rounders, and 4 pure bowlers in the side. Among the batters, BCCI has selected the quartet of Rohit Sharma, Shreyas Iyer, Shubman Gill, and Virat Kohli, and alongside these four, BCCI has selected Yashasvi Jaiswal among the backup openers. Yashasvi, as we know is yet to make his debut in ODIs, but given his returns in Tests and T20Is, he has been given this opportunity.
For the wicket-keepers, the Indian team has selected KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant. KL Rahul, who has been an ODI regular for the Indian team plays in the middle-order at 5 position. With KL Rahul as the first-choice keeper, the team has kept Rishabh Pant among the backup keepers. Pant, as we know has made a big comeback after his near-death experience during a road accident. With KL Rahul and Pant as the keeper, the team has decided to keep Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan out of the squad for now.
For the all-rounders, India have gone ahead with four names, and those are Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, and Axar Patel. There were talks about Ravindra Jadeja’s place in the Indian ODI setup given his lack of form. However, India have decided to keep their faith in their long-time all-rounder for one more time. So, Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja will be the two key all-rounders for Team India with Washington Sundar and Axar Patel as the backup all-rounders.
Coming to the bowling lineup, India have decided to go ahead with 3 pacers and 1 spinner. For the spin bowling, Kuldeep Yadav should lead the bowling as the sole spinner. Whereas for the pace bowling, Jasprit Burmah should lead the bowling with support from Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Shami. India will be happy to see the return of Mohammed Shami in the ODI setup alongside Jasprit Bumrah, who has also been included in the squad, subject to his medical fitness.
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Wicket-keepers:
All-rounders:
Bowlers:
So, that’s about the official squad list for Team India for the Champions Trophy 2025. Overall, India’s squad will look as strong as it was in the ICC ODI World Cup 2023. India will be glad to see Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami in the mix for the bowling. While Bumrah has been included in the team, his final selected call shall be taken ahead of the tournament based on his injury status. Aside from these players, BCCI has kept Harshit Rana as the backup for Jasprit Bumrah.
Rohit Sharma to be the leader in our latest best squad and players list for Team India for ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
12th January is the deadline ICC has given to all teams to submit their 15-member official squad list for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. As we know, there are 8 teams that will participate in the tournament this time, and it is scheduled from February 19 to March 9, 2025. The tournament shall be played in a Hybrid model with Indian matches being scheduled in Dubai, and the rest of the matches being scheduled in Pakistan.
2017 was the last time the Champions Trophy took place. While India were the Runner-up in the tournament, it was Pakistan that came out as champions. So, after 8 years, the tournament is making a comeback, and both India vs Pakistan will be eager to battle it off. However, before the team meets on February 23, only a week is left for all teams to submit their official squad for the tournament.
Team India are currently coming off a humiliating defeat against the Aussies in their backyard. For the first in many decades, we saw the Indian team Captain dropping himself for the decider match. While that didn’t help, it certainly highlights the mentality through which the team Captain must be going through. Will it have a psychological effect on Rohit Sharma’s captaincy as he leads the team in the Champions Trophy 2025?
Well, this is certainly an important discussion as there are also talks about Hardik Pandya taking over the Captaincy from Rohit Sharma, although those are all rubbish click-bait news headlines. But as the team gears up for India vs England and Champions Trophy 2025, what do the latest updates say as the team is set to announce the squad by next week? Well, let’s look at the best squad list for Team India for the Champions Trophy 2025.
The last time India played an ODI series was in November last year, and that was against Sri Lanka, which India lost badly. With the next ODI series being scheduled right before Team India at the moment don’t have any more matches to see their potential players. So, based on the previous records, the BCCI selectors will have to finalize the 5-member squad before next Sunday.
If we were to talk about the confirmed players that will be in the squad without any discussion, we are looking at 10 names. Starting with two openers, Captain Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, we have Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul in the batting department. Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja in the all-rounder department, and Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj in the bowling department.
With 10 names confirmed, we now have to fill the gaps that the team has. If we look at the gaps, we need a backup keeper, 1-2 backup all-rounders, and 2-3 backup bowlers. The team will have to take a call on whether to go with batting depth, add an extra batter, have bowling depth, and add an extra bowler. Or have an extra all-rounder to fulfil both places indirectly.
If we talk about the backup wicket-keeper, the team has no other than Rishabh Pant to fill that spot. Not only can Pant be the backup wicket-keeper, but he is also the only left-hander in the batting lineup. Sure, Pant may not be the first-choice option, but he definitely has the potential to be in the 15-member squad. If not Rishabh Pant, or in addition to Rishabh Pant, India can look at Sanju Samson as another backup option.
For the All-rounders, India should mostly select two more names, and those are Axar Patel and Washington Sundar. India under Rohit Sharma will seldom compromise on the batting depth, and having a third all-rounder in the side provides that option. Hence, the team will select a total of 4 all-rounders in the side with the possibility of playing 3 in every match.
Finally, talking about bowling, India may need two more pacers aside from Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. While Shami will be an automatic choice, if he is fit, his selection for now seems tentative. However, he is playing Domestic cricket, and has been doing well too. With a fit Shami as one of the pacers, India may mostly give Arshdeep Singh a chance as the fourth pacer in the squad. So, overall expect India to have a good bowling contingent for the tournament.
Batters:
Wicket-keepers:
All-rounders:
Bowlers:
So, that’s about the latest best squad list for Team India for the Champions Trophy 2025. Overall, India’s squad will look ideal if India focus on batting depth, and having Shami in the squad. Sure, Siraj is good, but without Shami and Bumrah in the squad alongside Kuldeep, this team won’t have the strength that will be required to win the Champions Trophy 2025.
Rohit Sharma expected to lead as we look at the ideal playing 11 for Team India for the Champions Trophy 2025.
Team India won an ICC tournament after a gap of almost 11 years in the form of the T20 World Cup 2024, and with that, the next ICC tournament that India will focus on is the Champions Trophy 2025. 2017 was the last time the Champions Trophy was played, and 8 years on, the format is back with Pakistan being the hosts, who were also the 2017 champions.
Now, the debate is definitely going on whether India should go to Pakistan to play the Champions Trophy, but that isn’t the point of discussion. What BCCI decides will eventually be known, but what’s more important is how Team India are going to prepare for the upcoming 50-over tournament, the Champions Trophy 2025. One thing that we definitely know is Rohit Sharma is confirmed to be the Captain of the side.
Now, Team India have only 6 planned ODIs before the Champions Trophy 2025. There are 3 ODIs next month against Sri Lanka, and then there are 3 ODIs in Jan against England. These are the planned ODIs, and if required, BCCI may plan for additional ODIs, if required. But with only 6 ODIs, it will be very interesting to see how Team India go about their team selection and preparation.
It is expected that Team India will be resting their key players, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah for Sri Lanka ODIs, which leaves us only 3 more ODIs to play to full strength. But what does the ideal playing 11 look like for Team India if we had to look at the Champions Trophy 2025? Well, let’s find out in this article.
If we start with the openers, India have currently found a steady opening pair in the form of Shubman Gill and Captain Rohit Sharma. Both have been quite successful, and have also been opening together for quite some time now. Both are almost sure to open, and in the backups, India will have Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Coming to the middle-order, Virat Kohli will definitely play at 3. But for number 4, India have two options in the form of Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer. Now, Iyer for sure has done well at number 4, but that was in Pant’s absence. Not only is Pant a competent batter, but he will also be the only left hander in the top 6 if he is selected in the 11. Ideally, Pant should play above Iyer, and the Sri Lanka series will mostly decide that.
Coming to the finishers, India will see KL Rahul at number 5 and Hardik Pandya at number 6. With Pant there, KL Rahul may not need to do the wicket-keeping, but he for sure still remains a key batter for Team India. In addition, India will be happy to see Hardik Pandya in the side, who was ruled out for ODI World Cup 2023.
Now, talking about the lower-order, Ravindra Jadeja for sure will play at number 7. But Team India may once again opt for Axar Patel in the side to add batting depth like they did in T20 World Cup 2024. Not only is Axar a competent batter but can also give useful 4-5 overs if required. So, expect Hardik, Jadeja, and Axar, all three to play a key role in Team India’s squad for Champions Trophy 2025.
Finally, talking about bowling, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami shall lead the pace bowling duties for Team India. For the third bowling option, India can opt for Kuldeep Yadav or Mohammed Siraj depending on the pitch conditions. If pitch assists spinners, then Kuldeep shall be the go-to man for Team India. Whereas for pace-friendly wickets, India shall opt for Mohammed Siraj.
So, that’s about the ideal playing 11 for Team India for the Champions Trophy 2025. Overall, India will have two major dilemmas to work on. They will have to decide between Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer. Second, they will have to opt for batting depth or a wicket-taking bowler. It will be interesting to see what strategy India adopt with only 6 ODIs to go. The Champions Trophy 2025 schedule isn’t out yet for download, but the tournament shall be played in Feb and March.