Team India captain Rohit Sharma has termed the exclusion of Mohammed Siraj from the squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 as “unfortunate.” Addressing the media alongside chief selector Ajit Agarkar during the announcement of the 15-member squad, Rohit shed light on the rationale behind the decision, emphasizing the team’s focus on balancing their bowling options, especially given uncertainty over Jasprit Bumrah’s fitness.
Mohammed Siraj, who debuted in ODIs in 2019 against Australia, has been a key contributor in the format, claiming 71 wickets in 44 matches at an impressive economy rate of 5.18. His last ODI appearance came against Sri Lanka in Colombo in 2024. Despite his credentials, the team management opted for Arshdeep Singh over Siraj to fulfill specific roles in the bowling lineup.
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Rohit explained that Siraj’s effectiveness is at its peak when bowling with the new ball, but his impact diminishes without it. “We are not sure about Bumrah, whether he is going to play or not. So, we wanted a squad with options for someone to bowl with the new ball and someone to bowl at the back end,” Rohit said.
He added, “We discussed this at length, and since we are taking only three seamers, we had to prioritize players who could perform specific roles. Siraj’s effectiveness comes down if he is not bowling with the new ball, which influenced our decision.”
The inclusion of Arshdeep Singh is part of the team’s strategy to strengthen their death bowling, a role previously anchored by Bumrah. “Arshdeep hasn’t played a lot of ODIs, but he has significant experience in white-ball cricket. He has bowled tough overs under pressure, and we believe he can handle the demands of this tournament,” Rohit said.
The captain also highlighted Mohammed Shami’s importance in the lineup for his ability with the new ball, which, alongside Arshdeep’s role in the death overs, complements the team’s bowling strategy.
India is set to face a tough schedule in the ICC Champions Trophy, which will be held from February 19 to March 9 in Pakistan and the UAE under a hybrid hosting model. India will play all their matches in Dubai. The eight-team tournament will feature 15 matches, with India grouped alongside Pakistan, New Zealand, and Bangladesh in Group A. Group B includes Australia, England, South Africa, and Afghanistan.
India’s campaign kicks off against Bangladesh on February 20, followed by the much-anticipated clash against Pakistan on February 23. Their final group-stage game will be against New Zealand on March 2.
Rohit acknowledged the challenges of managing workloads while meeting the new BCCI mandate requiring domestic cricket participation for national team eligibility. He stressed that selections were based on finding the right balance for the team while addressing specific roles. “It’s unfortunate that Siraj had to miss out, but we had no option but to bring in players who can perform certain roles effectively,” Rohit stated.
Full Squad for Champions Trophy 2025
- Captain: Rohit Sharma
- Vice-Captain: Shubman Gill
- Batsmen: Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Wicketkeepers: KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant
- All-rounders: Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja
- Spinners: Kuldeep Yadav
- Pacers: Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh
India squad for ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja.
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