The hype for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy is growing, with the tournament scheduled to start on February 19. As the hype intensifies, cricket pundits and retired players have been opining about their dream of playing XIs for their countries. Sanjay Bangar, a former India batting coach, has also entered the fray, sharing his dream Indian team for the coveted tournament.
Bangar’s top-order selections were unsurprising, featuring vice-captain Shubman Gill, skipper Rohit Sharma, and veteran batter Virat Kohli. Gill found his rhythm in the recent ODI series against England, while Rohit made a strong statement with a century in the second match. Kohli, ever-reliable, registered a half-century in the series finale, reinforcing his importance to India’s batting unit.
Sanjay Bangar picked Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, and Hardik Pandya to round off the middle order. Iyer’s comeback to the national team was supported by his consistent contributions to the English series and praiseworthy appearances in domestic cricket. Rahul over Rishabh Pant was the choice despite the recent Indian focus on a left-right batting pair based on his seniority and constancy.
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Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar were selected as the spin-bowling all-rounders. Surprisingly, Sanjay Bangar opted for Sundar ahead of Axar Patel, a choice that could raise an eyebrow considering Axar’s greater batting ability. Sundar played only three of eight games in India’s white-ball series against England.
From among the specialist bowlers, Sanjay Bangar’s first choice spinner was Kuldeep Yadav, followed by seasoned pacer Mohammed Shami. The latter was ruled out of participation in the 2024 T20 World Cup because of a fractured ankle, but returned to the team gradually through the recent English series. Bangar’s eleventh player from among the last three choices remained left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh, whose steady run in international cricket earned him his place in the XI.
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India, who have been pooled in Group A with Pakistan, New Zealand, and Bangladesh, will host all their games at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. With a combination of experience and new talent, Rohit Sharma’s team will be keen to overwhelm the competition and reassert themselves as a force to be reckoned with in ODI cricket.
Sanjay Bangar’s India XI for Champions Trophy 2025:
Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh
