The BCCI chief selector, Ajit Agarkar, and India ODI and Test captain Rohit Sharma announced the India squad for the England ODIs and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Despite everything being a foregone conclusion, the selectors, coach, and captain had a two-and-a-half-hour discussion.

According to a source in Dainik Jagran, the delay was caused by head coach Gautam Gambhir and Agarkar's disagreement over two selection issues.

One of the most remarkable features of the announcement was that, contrary to reports, Shubman Gill was named the new vice-captain of the ODI team rather than Jasprit Bumrah.

While it is possible that the selectors only chose the next-best option as Rohit's deputy because the board is unsure whether an injured Bumrah will be able to participate in the tournament, it has also raised questions about whether the BCCI is looking to Gill to take over the reins in ODI cricket after the Champions Trophy.

However, Gill’s appointment as India ODI vice-captain was not unanimous. A BCCI official present at the Mumbai office told the national daily that Gambhir wanted Hardik Pandya to be the vice-captain, but both Agarkar and Rohit declined.

Hardik Pandya captained India in T20Is and ODIs in 2022 in the absence of Rohit Sharma; he was also the India vice-captain in the 2023 World Cup before he got injured during the Bangladesh game and was replaced by KL Rahul.

The second selection issue was Gautam Gambhir asking for the inclusion of Sanju Samson. But the Kerala wicketkeeper-batsman did not make the India Champions Trophy team, which is highly speculated given that he did not play any matches in the recently finished Vijay Hazare Trophy event.

However, Dainik Jagran added that Gambhir supported Samson for a berth in India's ODI team, but the selectors were confident in Rishabh Pant.

Pant has only played one one-day match in the last two years, against Sri Lanka last year, after returning from the accident, but the selectors have opted to give him the role of first-choice wicketkeeper batsman. The left-handed variation he offers down the line may have also played a role, with KL Rahul serving as his backup wicketkeeper hitter.

(Dainik Jagran report)