Hyderabad: The wait is finally over as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is all set to reveal India's squad for the eagerly-awaited ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025, which is returning after an eight-year hiatus. India's ODI cricket team captain Rohit Sharma and chairman of the selection committee Ajit Agarkar will address the media on Saturday, January 18, 2025.
The Champions Trophy 2025 is scheduled from February 19 to March 9, 2025. The tournament will be jointly hosted by Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with solely India’s matches being held at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai after BCCI refused to travel to Pakistan. If India qualify for the semi-final 1 and the final, those matches will also take place in Dubai; otherwise, these games will shift to Lahore, Pakistan.
India has been placed in Group A, alongside arch-rivals Pakistan, Bangladesh, and New Zealand. The Men in Blue will begin their campaign against Bangladesh on February 20, 2025. The other group comprises of Australia, England, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.
The ICC Champions Trophy has seen eight editions so far, with Team India lifting the trophy twice. The first title win came in 2002 when the Sourav Ganguly-led side shared the trophy with Sri Lanka due to rain, and the second in 2013 under MS Dhoni’s leadership in England, which was reduced to the 20-over game after rain intervened for a brief period. India were the runners-up in the last edition that happened in 2017 in England, as they faced a heavy defeat from Pakistan in the final. India’s performance this time will be under scrutiny as they had a forgettable 2024 since their 2024 T20 World Cup triumph, having lost a lone ODI series against Sri Lanka in the Island nation. Rohit Sharma and Co. and coach Gautam Gambhir have a point to prove in the ICC tournament and will aim to reclaim the trophy after more than a decade.
When and Where to Watch the Squad Announcement
The announcement will take place during a press conference at 12:30 PM today, where Team India’s captain Rohit Sharma and chief selector Ajit Agarkar will address the media.
Cricket fans can catch the live telecast of the BCCI selection committee press conference on Star Sports Network and Sports 18. For those preferring online streaming, the event will be available on Jio Cinema and Hotstar.
