As Indian cricket fans eagerly anticipate the ICC Champions Trophy squad announcement from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), former cricketers Irfan Pathan and Sunil Gavaskar have shared their picks. The BCCI selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, recently requested an extension from the ICC for the squad announcement, citing uncertainty over the availability of Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav. While the official squad is set to be revealed on January 19, Gavaskar and Pathan stirred discussions with some notable omissions in their selections.
India’s batting legend Sunil Gavaskar believes both Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul should be integral to the Champions Trophy squad, anchoring India’s middle order. Additionally, he insists that Sanju Samson’s recent performances in the shortest format make him a strong contender, while Rishabh Pant remains a certainty in his lineup.
“If I were selecting the team, I’d focus on who has performed well recently. KL Rahul had an outstanding 50-over World Cup, and Shreyas Iyer deserves backing after his solid performances. Over the last few months, he hasn’t received the support he needed. I’d definitely include these two for the Champions Trophy,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports.
“My No. 4 would be Shreyas Iyer, No. 5 KL Rahul, and No. 6 Rishabh Pant. Sanju Samson, with the centuries he has scored for India, must be part of the squad. How can you overlook someone who’s consistently scoring hundreds for the country?” he added.
For former all-rounder Irfan Pathan, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav are the preferred spin-bowling duo, while Mohammed Siraj ranks third in the pecking order among pacers. Irfan sees Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami as the team’s leading fast bowlers.
“With this balance, you’ll have Ravindra Jadeja at No. 8, offering both batting and bowling options. This is one of the strongest batting lineups you can assemble. Having a fast-bowling all-rounder as a backup is a huge asset. Nitish Kumar Reddy is also riding high after strong performances in Australia,” Irfan shared during the same discussion.
“Mohammed Siraj would be the third seamer, though not in the playing XI if Bumrah and Shami are fit. However, we need to monitor Bumrah’s condition closely. Hopefully, his injury isn’t too severe,” Irfan concluded.
Sunil Gavaskar and Irfan Pathan’s Champions Trophy 2025 Squad:
Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Shubman Gill, Sanju Samson, Mohammed Siraj, and Nitish Kumar Reddy.
Notably, the squad excludes several prominent players, including Suryakumar Yadav, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, and Yuzvendra Chahal.
