Former India player Aakash Chopra has said that the need for batting depth has swayed Team India’s selections for the 2025 Champions Trophy. He also added that three spin-bowling all-rounders have been named in the squad despite being restrictive bowlers. However, the Champions Trophy will take place in Pakistan and Dubai from February 19 onwards and a 15-member Indian squad for the tournament have been named, including Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar as spin-bowling all-rounders.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra,’ he said, “The one overriding thought or theme was who all can bat because you need a batter at No. 8. So you picked Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar. You could have picked a fast bowler instead of that, and if you needed a spinner only, then you could have picked Varun Chakaravarthy. I see two of the three spin-bowling all-rounders, who all bat left-handed, playing.”
ALSO READ: Hardik Pandya shares happiness after winning back the love of fans
“All three are defensive options in ODI cricket. We consistently saw a slight lack of confidence in batting in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. We needed a batter at No. 8. So we are picking bowlers who can bat, and I feel it’s the same theme this time as well, which is not a great thing because you have to show confidence in your batting. You have to pick bowlers who take wickets,” Chopra further added.

Aakash Chopra also stated that Nitish Kumar Reddy could have been selected instead of a spin-bowling all-rounder if Team India were looking for a batter at No. 8. He added that the pacer will likely work more than spinners in the Dubai conditions as well. In the same video, Aakash Chopra also added that the Dubai pitch is unlikely to help the spinners.
ALSO READ: “Shubman’s captaincy is very good” – Ravi Bishnoi on Shubman Gill
“It will be slightly cold in Dubai. A little dew might also come later in Dubai. There could be slightly more help for fast bowlers in Dubai. The Dubai pitch doesn’t and won’t help spinners much. It is rock-hard. It seems like the pitch has been made on a mountain. Even if you continuously play for 10 days there, cracks aren’t formed at all. It can stay low but the ball doesn’t turn there and the square remains like that. So more fast bowlers are required and fewer spinners but India have picked four spinners,” Aakash Chopra concluded.