Following the completion of India’s long and disappointing tour Down Under, there are set to be big changes in the Test setup. That will have to wait for the time being, though, as the focus shifts to the 50-over white-ball format, with the deadline to announce the squads for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy less than a week away.
The 2023 Cricket World Cup finalists will face a tough challenge in picking their squad, having played just the three ODIs in 2024 following their heartbreaking defeat in Ahmedabad the year before.
While the team look fairly settled in the format, there is no recent form to fall back on. Especially taking into consideration the fact that the ODI squad that played the three-match series in Sri Lanka last August had a fair mix of regular and fringe players.
The upcoming bilateral series against England will be India’s one and only chance to give their players some much-needed game time ahead of the Champions Trophy, which is set to kick off on February 19 as India begin their journey against Bangladesh the following day in the UAE.
However, with the deadline set a week from now, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is expected to name the squad for the bilateral series and the mega event at the same time with no major changes.
The top order: Who will get the nod?
Both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, despite their poor showings in Australia, are expected to remain in contention for the ODI series as well as the Champions Trophy, with Sharma, who was India’s highest run-getter (157 runs) in their 0-2 series loss to Sri Lanka last summer, set to resume his captaincy duties.
Yashasvi Jaiswal, who has arguably been India’s best batter over the last calendar year, could be in contention for his ODI debut during the England series, though dethroning Shubman Gill as Rohit Sharma’s opening partner will be a tough ask given the 25-year-old is averaging 58.20 in ODIs.
Middle-order: A selection dilemma?
With India having suffered for many years in search of a solid #4, Shreyas Iyer in recent years seems to have answered the fans’ and team management’s prayers. Although not a regular starter in Tests and T20Is, the veteran Mumbaikar has emerged as the perfect foil to link the Indian top and lower batting orders. Moreover, his performances in the domestic circuit across all three formats suggest there isn’t a better player currently to take up the mantle of batting at #4.
India’s biggest dilemma, though, will be picking their two wicketkeeper-batters, with the likes of KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, and Sanju Samson all having shown great class and form in white-ball cricket in the lead-up to the marquee tournament.
The 30-year-old Kerala batter has scored three centuries in his last two T20I series against South Africa and Bangladesh. Besides, Samson had also scored a hundred the last time he played an ODI for India, which was more than a year ago, though he was not part of the ODI squad that toured Sri Lanka last year. The on-going Vijay Hazare Trophy would have been a good opportunity to prove his credentials in the 50-over format, but given he is missing the tournament due to disciplinary reasons, the Ajit Agarkar–led selection committee might give the nod to Rahul and Pant based on both their form and ability to bat anywhere in the middle order.
All-rounders: Who has the edge?
Hardik Pandya hasn’t played in ODIs since his injury during the 2023 World Cup, but the star all-rounder is currently playing in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. When fit, he is an irreplaceable asset for the Men In Blue in white-ball cricket, as evident from his stellar performances during India’s T20 World Cup triumph last year.
However, the team will be wary of needing a backup ready for Pandya. Given his impressive performances in both T20Is and the recently-concluded Test series in Australia, Nitish Kumar Reddy is the perfect fit as the second-choice fast-bowling all-rounder.
Two of Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar will also be named in the squad. With Sundar’s return to the Test team, which shows the management’s faith in him, it is Jadeja who will get the nod ahead of Patel as India’s second finger spinner, as it is highly unlikely the management will go with two left-handed finger spinners.
Wrist-spinners: Kuldeep or Bishnoi?
Since the 2023 World Cup, Kuldeep Yadav has established himself as India’s leading wrist spinner, though a groin injury—which was followed by a surgery—means the 30-year-old is set to miss India’s bilateral series against England. Although there are still clouds over his fitness ahead of the Champions Trophy, if fit, one can expect him to resume his duties as India’s lead spinner.
However, Yadav does fail to recover in time, a call-up for the 24-year-old Ravi Bishnoi should follow. In the last year, Bishnoi has emerged as India’s lead T20I spinner and has had a good Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, picking up 10 wickets with an economy under 7 runs per over. Moreover, his ability with the bat will give India more depth lower down the batting order.
The pace attack: Can India re-enact WC 2023 magic?
The trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and Mohammed Siraj was one of the most lethal and fearsome bowling attacks alongside the Australians’ during the 2023 World Cup. However, fitness concerns regarding both Bumrah and Shami as well as Siraj’s inconsistency mean India may have to re-jig their pace attack in the lead up to the ICC tournament.
Bumrah, who has been sustaining back spasms, is likely to be rested for the majority of India’s home white-ball series against England with one eye on the Champions Trophy. The 31-year-old, having been India’s standout player with 32 wickets in their 1-3 thrashing in Border-Gavaskar Trophy, couldn’t bowl in the final innings of the series due to the back spasms. However, according to sources privy to the development, the grade of Bumrah’s back spasm has not yet been ascertained.
If Bumrah’s injury is in the Grade 1 category, then it will take a minimum two to three weeks of rehabilitation before he returns to the field of play. In case of a Grade 2 injury, the recovery can go up to six weeks, while a Grade 3 injury—the most severe in nature—requires a minimum three months of rest and rehabilitation.
Shami, on the other hand, was ruled out of action in 2024 because of a heel injury. He underwent surgery, completed rehab, and returned to the nets, but was denied a match fitness certificate by NCA doctors as he had a new swelling in his knee, which ruled him out of the series Down Under. However, the Bengal star is certainly in contention for the Champions Trophy as he continues his recovery journey with Bengal in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. If both Bumrah and Shami return to full fitness before the Champions Trophy, they walk straight into the playing XI.
Arshdeep Singh, who was one of India’s main architects in their triumph in the Caribbean, has continued his excellent form, picking up 17 wickets in just six matches in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. His ability to swing the new ball and provide breakthroughs as well as bowl at the death is a lethal combo that the Men In Blue have been lacking for many years.
For the third seamer role, it’s a toss up between Singh and Siraj. Looking at their recent form and performances over the last calendar year, the left-handed seamer seems to have the upper hand and should walk into the team as India’s new-ball specialist.
India’s probable 15-man squad
Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah
Backups in case of injuries
Sanju Samson, Tilak Verma, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Khaleel Ahmed, Mohammed Siraj
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