Hyderabad: The BCCI on late Tuesday night announced that pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025, which will be hosted by Pakistan, scheduled to commence from February 19. However, India will play all its games in Dubai, United Arab Emirates with a campaign opener slated against Bangladesh on February 20.
Bumrah sustained a back injury during the fifth and final Test for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 down under and hasn't played a game since then.
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Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy due to a lower back injury. Harshit Rana named replacement.
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The five-member National selection committee headed by former India pacer Ajit Agarkar has named right-arm pacer Harshit Rana as Bumrah's replacement for the marquee event, returning after an eight-year hiatus.
Newly appointed BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia in a media statement said, "Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy due to a lower back injury. The Men’s Selection Committee has named Harshit Rana as Bumrah’s replacement."
The national selectors have also named mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy who recently made his ODI debut, to the squad for the Champions Trophy. For the record, Chakravarthy became the second oldest Indian to make an ODI debut after Sir Farukh Engineer. With his inclusion, India's squad feature five out-and-out spinners in the squad.
Chakravarthy, who plays for Tamil Nadu in the domestic circuit has replaced flamboyant opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was named in the provisional squad, which was declared by the BCCI.
It is very likely that considering the nature of pitches in Dubai, which could assist the spinners, Chakravarthy was named in the squad. However, the recently concluded International League T20 (ILT20) which was played in UAE, favoured pacers more than the spinners. Hence, India's move to bring a spin-heavy squad could backfire as well.
"Team India have also named Varun Chakravarthy in the squad. The spinner will replace Yashasvi Jaiswal who was initially named in the provisional squad," Saikia added.
Now in Bumrah's absence, the pace attack will be led by Mohammad Shami. The BCCI have also given three names the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mohammed Siraj and Shivam Dube as non-travelling substitutes.
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-travelling substitutes: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mohammed Siraj and Shivam Dube. The three players will travel to Dubai as and when required.
