Champions Trophy 2025: Dinesh Karthik picks India’s bowling attack in the tournament

Former Indian cricketer and commentator Dinesh Karthik has picked India’s bowling combination for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, scheduled to start on February 19 in Pakistan and Dubai.

Notably, the Indian selection committee went ahead with five spinners, three pacers, and one all-rounder in the 15-man squad for the showpiece event. Karthik asserted that Mohammed Shami will lead the pace attack alongside Harshit Rana and all-rounder Hardik Pandya.

Karthik, who was also part of the Indian team that bagged the Champions Trophy 2013 title, stated that Kuldeep Yadav will be the preferred spin option ahead of Varun Chakravarthy. He also selected Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja as the other two spin options.

“I think it will be Mohamed Shami and Harshit Rana. The two left-arm spinners, Axar Patel and (Ravindra) Jadeja, it’s only fair to say they are all-rounders, and that is the right thing to say. And then we have Kuldeep, and then we have Hardik Pandya as the sixth bowler," Karthik said on Cricbuzz’s HeyCB.

It’s important to note that India will miss the services of pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah as he was ruled out of the tournament on February 11 due to a lower back injury. Later, he was replaced by Harshit in the squad. 

India will initiate its campaign on February 20 against Bangladesh in Dubai and will then face arch-rivals Pakistan in the next Group A match on February 23 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai. Later, they will lock horns with New Zealand on March 2 at the same venue.

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.

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