Former India player Aakash Chopra has added that the Indian team should have picked an additional seamer in their Champions Trophy 2025 squad as well. He stated that Mohammed Shami doesn’t seem to be ready yet despite claiming a three-wicket haul in the final T20I of the recent five-match series against England as well.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra,’ he said, “Good question, but the answer to that question also has a little bit of a trick. It’s tricky as you will also have to drop someone. You can make a change to the squad but for that, you will have to drop someone. It’s an ICC event. It’s not a bilateral series at home. The squad will be of 15 members only.”
“If you have to make a change, it’s because of injury, and you have to make a request for that and it needs to be approved. Nothing like that has happened. Four fast bowlers should have 100 percent been there because whatever we have seen of Mohammed Shami, he did take three wickets in the last match for sure and bowled decently, but he is far from ready. He might get ready as time is still left. Two weeks are there and three ODIs are also there. So hopefully by the end of it, he will be absolutely fine, but he is not ready yet. Arshdeep Singh is perfect for the new and old ball, but who knows how he will do in the middle overs in ODIs. We have not seen that,” Chopra stated.

In the same video, Aakash Chopra also shared that he was not hearing positive reports about Jasprit Bumrah’s fitness also and predicted Mohammed Siraj’s inlusion in India’s Champions Trophy squad as well.
“I am not hearing great news about Bumrah’s fitness. However, I won’t believe in hearsay, and won’t share what I heard with you as well. However, I totally agree with you that one fast bowler should have been added to the team earlier itself. I feel a fast bowler will get added. In whose place he will be, we shall find out. I feel Siraj will go to the Champions Trophy,” Aakash Chopra concluded.