India is placed in Group A along with Pakistan, New Zealand and Bangladesh.
India’s cricket year in 2025 started on a difficult note with a 3-1 defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and failing to qualify for the final of the World Test Championship.
Despite these setbacks, the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 presents a golden opportunity for the team to bounce back and win that ODI title that they narrowly missed at home in 2023.
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Scheduled from February 19 to March 9, the tournament will be played in Pakistan, but India’s matches will take place in Dubai.
India is placed in Group A along with Pakistan, New Zealand and Bangladesh. The tournament will serve as an important test of India’s readiness in the 50-over format, especially given their limited ODI outings in 2024.
India played just three ODIs last year, losing 2-0 to Sri Lanka, as the schedule was dominated by the T20 World Cup and the WTC cycle.
Before the Champions Trophy, India will play a three-match ODI series against England, where senior players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah are expected to be rested, allowing the younger players to show their potential.
Key players for India’s Champions Trophy campaign
Since the 2023 Asia Cup, India has relied on a balanced XI that has become the backbone of its ODI setup. In the Champions Trophy, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill are expected to take charge as the opening pair, setting the stage for the innings.
At number three, Virat Kohli will look to anchor the batting with his experience and consistency. Shreyas Iyer is set to solidify the middle-order at number four while KL Rahul, who is likely to keep wickets, will provide stability at number five.
Hardik Pandya will provide much-needed balance at number six with his explosive batting and useful all-rounder overs. Ravindra Jadeja, who is ranked number seven, adds depth with both bat and ball. Kuldeep Yadav will be the go-to spinner, tasked with controlling the middle order.
The pace department will be led by Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, forming a formidable attack. If Shami is unavailable, Arshdeep Singh could step in, offering variety with his left-arm pace.
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India’s best XI for Champions Trophy 2025
Rohit Sharma (C) Shubman Gill Virat Kohli Shreyas Iyer KL Rahul (WK) Hardik Pandya Ravindra Jadeja Kuldeep Yadav Mohammed Shami Jasprit Bumrah Mohammed Siraj
(Players like Axar Patel and Rishabh Pant could be used as substitutes).
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