India will open their Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh on February 20 in Dubai.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) unveiled the squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and the England ODI series on Saturday (January 18), with chief selector Ajit Agarkar and captain Rohit Sharma taking part in a press conference.
The three-match series against England, starting on February 6 in Nagpur, will be India's final dress rehearsal for the Champions Troph, slated to be held in Pakistan and UAE from February 19 to March 9.
Team India are placed in Group A along with Pakistan, Bangladesh and New Zealand in the marquee event. The Men in Blue will open their campaign against Bangladesh on February 20 at the Dubai International Stadium.
Rohit will lead the Indian team and open the batting alongside Shubman Gill in the marquee event. Young left-hander Yashasvi Jaiswal has been included in the side as an opening option.
Veteran campaigner Virat Kohli will bat at No. 3, followed by Shreyas Iyer, who was in terrific form in Mumbai’s recently Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign.
Sanju Samson, who has slammed three centuries in his last five T20I appearances, was overlooked in the side, with the selectors preferring KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant for the wicketkeeper's role.
Hardik Pandya features in the squad as a seam-bowling all-rounder while Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar are the three spin all-rounders in the line-up. Kuldeep Yadav is the specialist spinner in the 15-member squad.
Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has been named in the Champions Trophy squad despite concerns over his fitness.
Notably, Bumrah suffered back spasms during the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Sydney. He was unable to bowl on the final two days of the match.
If Bumrah gets fit, he will also feature in the third and final ODI against England. Harshit Rana appears in the squad for the England series, but failed to make the cut for the Champions Trophy.
Senior pacer Mohammad Shami, who is all set to make his much-awaited India comeback during the T20I series against England, has also been picked in the squad. Left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh has pipped Mohammed Siraj to claim a place in both teams.
India squad for Champions Trophy 2025: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Arshdeep Singh
India squad for England ODIs Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah*, Mohammad Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana
*: Jasprit Bumrah's participation in the third and final ODI against England is subject to fitness clearance.