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this ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Scheduled to start on February 19th, Pakistan and Dubai co-host the event. However, India will play all their matches in the UAE starting with the opener against Bangladesh on February 20. Amid the speculation and excitement surrounding India’s official squad announcement, renowned cricket analyst Harsha Bogle Sharing his choices for the grand event on his YouTube channel, the surprising decision caused a stir.
Harsha Bhogle’s bold appeal to Jasprit Bumrah
Bogle made the surprising decision to exclude acepacer Jasprit Bumrah from his team, citing ongoing concerns about his health. Bumrah was recently injured during a match Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 And there are still questions about the upcoming championship trophy.
“Let me outline my assumptions and starting point. I think India’s two top bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna, may be injured due to injuries Absent. It would be great if they are healthy.” Bogle explained.
Bogle predicts India’s squad for Champions Trophy 2025
Batting line-up: Opening and middle order
Viewed Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill As the first opening pair, the two shared a strong partnership as they scored over 70 runs in at least 25 innings together. In addition, he also emphasized Yashasvi Jaiswala left-handed option that could be useful in situations that favor slower bowling.
In the middle order, Harsha chose Virat Kohli There is no doubt that he remains a key figure because of his consistency and level. Along with Kohli, Shreyas Iyer He made the cut on the back of his stellar performances during the 2023 World Cup and impressive domestic performances in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. With these two batsmen, Harsha is sure that India has a reliable five-man core in the batting line-up that can be flexibly adjusted depending on the match situation.
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Harsha feels India are lucky to have two capable goalkeepers who can contribute with the bat as well. he chose Kuala Lumpur Rahul As his primary wicketkeeper, as long as he stays fit and available, given Rahul’s proven impact in ODIs. Along with Rahul, he mentioned Rishabh Pant, He has performed well in domestic cricket and provided valuable runs in the middle order.
Hardik Pandya Recognized by Harsha as the backbone of the Indian ODI team. His ability to consistently deliver six or seven pitches provides crucial balance to the team. Harsha believes that Pandya is in excellent form both in T20Is and in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, making him an indispensable figure in the sixth order.
Also read: Sunil Gavaskar, Irfan Pathan announce India’s squad for Champions Trophy 2025
Bowling options and spin department
Harsha opted for a balanced bowling attack – three seamers and three spinners. For seam attacks, Mohammad Shami, Mohammed Siraj and Ardeep Singh It’s his choice, assuming Jasprit Bumrah will be unavailable. Harsha considers Siraj and Arshdeep as bowlers who have proven themselves in white-ball cricket, while Shami brings valuable control and experience to the attack.
In the spin department, Harsha used three finger spinners – Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja and washington sundar. He mentioned that these spinners tend to perform well in UAE conditions and their batting prowess further strengthens their standing in the team.
No. 15 decision and alternates: Bogle’s selection
No. 15 was a tough decision for Harsha. After careful consideration, he chose Varun Chakraborty As the last player on the team. Chakravarthy has a good record of winning runs in ODIs and his changes could be crucial in the UAE’s situation. To provide depth and flexibility, Harsha identified four backup players: Ravi Bishnoi, Nitin Kumar Reddy As an additional terminator, Umran Malik Serve as backup pacer, and Karen Nair As a pinch hitter. These players provide valuable options and can step in immediately when needed.
