Team India have been dealt a major blow ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, with ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah being ruled out of the showpiece tournament due to a lower back injury.

While Bumrah was named in India’s preliminary squad for the Champions Trophy, he failed to make the cut in the final squad which was announced last week.

Amid the setback, former cricketer Laxmipathy Balaji has backed Mohammad Shami to lead India's pace attack with distinction at the Champions Trophy, slated to get underway on February 19 in Karachi.

The Men in Blue will play all their matches in Dubai, and Balaji believes Shami's experience and skill will be crucial to the team's success.

"Actually, he had out-bowled Bumrah in the 2019 (50-over World Cup) and in the last World Cup (2023). Bumrah is the champion bowler across formats. But Shami has experience and, before Bumrah's arrival, it was Shami who carried India's attack all through," Balaji told news agency PTI.

He highlighted the importance of a strong start with the new ball. "I think it's very important. If India has to do well, then Shami has to come good with the new ball. The kind of impact he can make in his first six overs with the new ball will play a crucial role for India. The old ball is anyway... it is a defensive game now. If he can make early inroads regularly, that will give a huge booster to India," he added.

Concerns have been raised over Shami's rhythm following his ankle injury, but Balaji expressed confidence in his ability to regain his optimal bowling speed. "Since that (ankle) injury has happened, there was a little bit of slowness, maybe. It's natural. But there is nothing you can do about it. It's part of any sportsperson's career. He has the experience to get over it, and he will do it as he bowls more. It's just about accepting the (physical) condition and continuing his best practices," he said.

Shami's role will also include mentoring young pacers like Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana. Balaji emphasized that Shami's extensive experience makes him an ideal leader.

"Shami is the leader of the pack right now. I mean, he has been the leader of the pack for a long time now. If you see what Shami has done in 12 years of cricket and, especially, in Test cricket, it has been humongous. Now, if he starts striking with the new ball, the confidence it gives to other bowlers will be huge," he said.

Dubai has historically provided some assistance to pacers, and Balaji feels this could work in Shami's favour.

"He keeps attacking the stumps, a quality that is very critical in a place like Dubai, where batsmen may get a little bit more assistance," he stated.

Commenting on Shami's effectiveness with the new ball, Balaji mentioned the key strengths that make him a formidable bowler. "Shami has one of the best wrist positions in the game, helping him bring all of his variations. See, conditions in Dubai will more or less be similar to India, so he just needs to follow his methods there," he remarked.

Balaji further explained Shami's ability to generate movement off the pitch, making him a constant threat to batters. "What Shami does is hit the seam and move the ball off the deck. It is dangerous as batsmen will not be able to guess easily which way the ball is going to move. It also brings into the equation the LBWs and clean bowled dismissals. The away movement ensures that the slip cordon too will be in the mix," said Balaji.

"And he also bowls closer to the stumps, which allows him to explore those subtle angles. So, he will always be among the wickets," he added.

India will begin their Champions Trophy campaign on Thursday (February 20) against Bangladesh at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.