India’s preparation for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 has taken a significant hit with the announcement that pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out due to a lower back injury. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed the news late on Tuesday, just before the deadline for final changes to the provisional squad. Bumrah, who had been nursing a back injury since the fifth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Sydney last month, will miss the tournament, with the BCCI swiftly making changes to the squad.
The injury flared up during the series-deciding Test match in Australia, where Bumrah, India’s premier fast bowler, developed back spasms. Despite undergoing scans and treatment, he was unable to recover in time for the Champions Trophy. Bumrah was initially expected to join the squad for the final ODI against England but was quietly omitted from the updated squad announced by the BCCI last week.
In his place, the BCCI has named 23-year-old Harshit Rana as the replacement. Rana made his ODI debut in the ongoing series against England, impressing in the series opener in Nagpur. He will now look to step up in Bumrah’s absence and provide valuable support to the Indian bowling attack.
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Additionally, the BCCI has made another significant change to the squad by including mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy. Chakaravarthy, who made his return to international cricket after a three-year hiatus, has been in exceptional form, particularly in the T20 format. His performances earned him a maiden ODI call-up for the England series, and he made his debut in the second ODI in Cuttack. Chakaravarthy’s inclusion in the Champions Trophy squad comes as a replacement for Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was initially named in the provisional squad.
Both Harshit Rana and Varun Chakaravarthy have been part of the Kolkata Knight Riders franchise, who clinched the IPL 2024 title under the leadership of Gautam Gambhir. Gambhir’s success with the IPL team has led to his appointment as the head coach of the Indian cricket team, a move that many expect will have a positive impact on the squad’s dynamics.
India’s campaign in the ICC Champions Trophy begins on February 20, with their opening match against Bangladesh. Following that, they will face arch-rivals Pakistan on February 23, with their final group stage match against New Zealand scheduled for March 2. All of India’s matches will be played in Dubai after the BCCI refused to travel to Pakistan, citing security concerns.
India’s Squad for ICC Champions Trophy 2025:
- Rohit Sharma (Captain)
- Shubman Gill (Vice-captain)
- Virat Kohli
- Shreyas Iyer
- KL Rahul (WK)
- Rishabh Pant (WK)
- Hardik Pandya
- Axar Patel
- Washington Sundar
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Harshit Rana
- Mohd. Shami
- Arshdeep Singh
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Varun Chakaravarthy
Non-traveling Substitutes:
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Mohammed Siraj
- Shivam Dube
The trio of non-traveling substitutes—Jaiswal, Siraj, and Dube—will remain in India and travel to Dubai if required due to injuries or other changes.
As India embarks on their journey in the Champions Trophy, all eyes will be on the new additions to the squad, with Harshit Rana and Varun Chakaravarthy eager to make their mark in the prestigious tournament.
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