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- India's Champions Trophy squad announcement Live Updates: T20I and ODI selection on different dates?
India's Champions Trophy squad announcement Live Updates: T20I and ODI selection on different dates?
India’s top-order stalwarts, including Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, are expected to lead the batting lineup, while emerging talents like Shubman Gill could make the cut. In the middle order, Suryakumar Yadav and KL Rahul are likely contenders. The all-rounder department should feature Hardik Pandya, whose skills with both bat and ball are invaluable in white-ball cricket.
On the bowling front, fans wait to know whether Jasprit Bumrah will recover in time to be available for the Champions Trophy and if Mohammed Shami will finally make a long-awaited comeback. Spin duties may rest on Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav, while Yuzvendra Chahal could provide depth.
The squad’s announcement will set the tone for India’s campaign and reveal the strategy they aim to deploy in their quest for the coveted ICC trophy.
India will be back to international action via five T20Is and three ODIs against England, starting on January 22 in Kolkata, before flying to Dubai for its Champions Trophy campaign, with Pakistan hosting other half of the tournament.
The senior men’s selection committee, headed by Ajit Agarkar, is scheduled to have a meeting on Saturday to decide on the squads.
A source told news agency IANS that Chakaravarthy’s prospect of being an outside chance for selection in ODI games for India, apart from being a certainty in the T20I team, comes at a time when he’s picked 18 wickets to be the leading wicket-taker in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, including consecutive five-wicket hauls on the trot.
Chakaravarthy, who was stellar for India in its T20I series wins against Bangladesh and South Africa, picked 5/52 in the pre quarterfinal match of Vijay Hazare Trophy for Tamil Nadu, though it didn’t lead them to a win over Rajasthan at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara.
But with Kuldeep Yadav yet to return back to competitive action as his rehab from hernia surgery and gradual return to bowling still happening at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, Varun has an outside chance to be into the India ODI set-up for the England series and Champions Trophy, with the selectors set to deliberate over make-up of the spin department.
Sources also said that Washington Sundar is also certain to make the cut for both squads, while all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, who impressed with 114 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, is in frame to play the five-match T20I series against England. India have won the Champions Trophy twice, and stand alongside Australia as most successful sides of the eight-team competition.
During this vibrant tour, the trophy visited iconic locations across Melbourne and Sydney, engaging fans with various activities and appearances by cricket legends.
The Australian leg also offered fans and media the opportunity to interact with the former Australian all-rounder and two-time ICC Champions Trophy winner Shane Watson, who delved into the unique nature of the event and his predictions for the upcoming edition.
The trophy was also showcased during the Border–Gavaskar Trophy, making appearances at the fourth and fifth Tests held in Melbourne and Sydney, respectively as former cricket stars including Irfan Pathan, Adam Gilchrist, Michael Vaughan and Justin Langer posed with the trophy.
In Melbourne, the trophy made appearances at several key locations, such as the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Flinders Street, Yarra River, and Hosier Lane.
Following its time in Melbourne, the tour continued to Sydney, where fans could view the trophy at Bondi Beach, Sydney Harbour, Sydney Opera House and the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).
Saim was examined by two noted orthopedic surgeons in London, Dr David Redfern and Dr Lucky Jeyaseelan.
Pakistan Cricket Board is very keen on having Saim fit in time for the Champions Trophy game against India on February 23 in Dubai, news agency PTI quoted a source close to Saim as saying.
"Even if the doctors say he will not have recovered from his injury in time for Pakistan's opening CT game against New Zealand on February 19 in Karachi but he could be fit for the India game, the selectors and PCB are willing to take the risk," the source said.
He said Saim had been sent to London for consultations with specialists even after he was initially advised a six-week rest for his ankle injury because the PCB is very keen to see him fit for the marquee event and particularly the India match.
The PCB will get final reports and advice from the specialists by next week on Saim's recovery process and time but after initial examination they have ruled out any invasive or non-invasive surgery to set the ankle right.
"Their findings are that Saim can recover from his injury through physiotherapy, medication and rest but how long a rehab period they suggest will be known next week," he said.
For the time being, the PCB will include Saim in the preliminary squad for the Champions Trophy as the selectors have until February 12 to make changes in it and finalise their 15-member squad.
Saim will remain in London until next week to find out if he can rehab in Lahore at the PCB's high performance centre or can get better care in London itself.
After Punjab won the toss and elected to field, Arshdeep found his line, length and swing right away -- troubling opener Ruturaj Gaikwad from ball one and eventually dismissing the skipper off the last ball of the opening over in Maharashtra's innings.
Indian captain Rohit Sharma, head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar are likely to be present for the meeting with top officials of the BCCI-president Roger Binny, jt secretary Devajit Saikia (currently discharging the functions of the secretary) and vice-president Rajiv Shukla.
Agarkar was present in Australia for the entire duration of the BGT series as the touring selector.
The focus in world cricket will shift to white ball at the start of 2025, which will see the return of ICC Champions Trophy; but some of the former Pakistan players are not at ease and feel that the tournament's hybrid model hands an 'unfair' advantage to India.
Pakistan is the official host nation of the tournament, but the Indian government's refusal to send its team to Pakistan led to a standoff that took a long time to resolve.
After several meetings, the deadlock ended with a mutual agreement between the International Cricket Council (ICC), Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that the tournament will be conducted in a hybrid model and India will play all their matches, including the semifinal and the final if they qualify, in Dubai.
All eyes will be on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli when India take on England in the limited-overs series at home, as both the star batters aim to regain form and get into rhythm ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy next month.
India will play five T20Is and three ODIs against England.
England left-arm pacer Tymal Mills, currently playing in the ILT20 Season 3 for Gulf Giants in the UAE, believes that Rohit and Virat will soon find their form with the bat.
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The BCCI has asked India batter KL Rahul to turn out for the three-match ODI series against England at home on February, after initially deciding to rest him till the Champions Trophy, according to a reliable source.
"The selectors initially decided to rest Rahul, who plays in the middle order and is a wicketkeeper in the ODIs, from the entire white-ball series against England at home. However, they had a rethink and the BCCI has now asked him to play in the ODI series so that he gains some match practice ahead of the Champions Trophy in February," a source told TOI.
When the national selectors and the Indian team management get together during the weekend to discuss the squad for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy next month, one can expect tough debates over balancing the spin attack, finding the two wicketkeepers and keeping a close eye on the fitness of Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah.
Express pacer Mayank Yadav is likely to miss the upcoming white-ball series against England at home, comprising five T20Is and three ODIs due to an injury, TOI has learnt.
The injury-prone Yadav, who made his international debut in the T20I series against Bangladesh in Oct last year after impressing for the Lucknow Super Giants in IPL-2024, had missed the four-match T20I series against South Africa subsequently in Nov to an injury. The young fast bowler has not returned to action since.
From the high of winning the T20 World Cup in June to being severely criticised and viciously trolled by the end of the year and his spot in the Test team being questioned, Rohit Sharma has seen the extremes of cricket in just six months.
But all said and done, the Indian captain has been a white-ball colossus and with the ICC Champions Trophy set to get underway from February 19, Rohit is expected to have a shot at redemption.
One-day cricket is the go-to game for Rohit - the only cricketer in the world to smash three double hundreds in the format and one among six Indians to score 10,000 ODI runs.
Besides Pakistan, the other two teams in India's group are Bangladesh and New Zealand.
A six-member delegation of the International Cricket Council (ICC) took stock of Pakistan's readiness for the Champions Trophy in Karachi, which is one of the three host cities for the tournament that begins February 19 -- according to a Geo News report.
Timesofindia.com had reported about ICC's plans to visit Pakistan to review preparedness amid reports of renovation work running behind time at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi, the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
The latest deadline for completion of work is January 25.
Known for his elegant stroke-play and ability to anchor innings under pressure, Shreyas Iyer could be the X-factor Team India needs.
Iyer adds stability to the middle order — a crucial component in ICC tournaments. His skill against spin and his ability to accelerate make him a dependable finisher in challenging conditions.
Having last played for India during the Sri Lanka tour in August, Iyer will be hoping to keep his spot in the Indian team with the squad for England limited-overs series and Champions Trophy to be announced in the next 2-3 days.
After the debacle in Test matches in the last two series - losing to New Zealand and Australia - India shift their attention to limited overs cricket. India play five T20Is and three ODIs against England starting 22 January until 12 February. The series marks as India's preparations for the ICC Champions Trophy that gets underway on 19 February with India playing a day later in Dubai, UAE.
India have not played the 50-over format since August last year when they finished second best to Sri Lanka. The three-match series finished 2-0 for the hosts. That series featured all seniors, including Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
The ICC Champions Trophy will run from February 19 to March 9, but concerns over Pakistan's preparedness grew when scenes of incomplete construction work at stadiums in all three host cities suggested delay and went viral on social media earlier this week. However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has refuted those as mere rumours, assuring on-time delivery of the venues.
The tournament will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, National Stadium in Karachi and the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, besides matches in Dubai, where India's fixtures will be hosted as per a pre-decided hybrid arrangement.
