India’s squad for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 has seen some notable changes, with Mohammed Siraj missing out on a place in the 15-man lineup. Instead, left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh has been selected for his ability to offer variety with the ball and his proficiency in handling the death overs.

Siraj’s exclusion was partly due to the team management opting for Mohammed Shami’s return to the ODI setup after recovering from Achilles tendon surgery, alongside Jasprit Bumrah, who remains under fitness observation following back spasms during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Rohit Sharma, who will lead the squad, explained the rationale behind the selection. Arshdeep’s ability to bowl with the new ball and at the backend of the innings played a key role in his inclusion, especially considering Bumrah’s fitness uncertainty.
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“We are not sure about Bumrah, whether he is going to play or not. So, we thought we needed someone who can bowl with the new ball and at the backend. Arshdeep was picked to bowl at the backend. Shami, we all saw what he can do with the new ball,” Rohit said.
🚨 SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT 🚨
India have named their 15-member squad for the #ChampionsTrophy2025 ⏬#CT25 #CricketTwitter #CT2025 pic.twitter.com/CRLhkM0TGG
— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) January 18, 2025
Rohit also touched upon Siraj’s exclusion, stating that the pacer’s effectiveness diminishes when not bowling with the new ball. “It’s unfortunate that Siraj has to miss out, but we had no option but to choose bowlers who can perform specific roles,” he added. Despite this, the captain feels confident in the trio of Shami, Bumrah, and Arshdeep, who he believes can deliver with the new ball, in the middle overs, and at the death.
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Alongside the pace attack, the squad also features young talent like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Harshit Rana. Rohit highlighted their potential, with Jaiswal’s recent performances over the past 6–8 months being a major factor in his inclusion. “Sometimes, we need to back potential, even if they haven’t played ODIs,” Rohit Sharma explained, acknowledging that tough calls had to be made to balance experience and youth.
As the Champions Trophy approaches, India’s squad is gearing up for a challenging but exciting tournament, with the team management making decisions based on roles, balance, and future potential.
India squad for the Champions Trophy: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Rishabh Pant(wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal