India announces 15-member squad for ICC Champions Trophy 2025
New Delhi: India has announced its 15-member squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, with captain Rohit Sharma and chief selector Ajit Agarkar revealing the details at a press conference. The squad will also play the ODI series against England as part of its preparation for the tournament.
Shubman Gill has been named the vice-captain of the team, a move that signals the management's confidence in him as a future leader. Meanwhile, the fitness status of Jasprit Bumrah remains uncertain, with Agarkar stating that clarity will emerge in February. To address potential concerns, Harshit Rana has been selected for the England ODI series.
KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant have been chosen as the primary wicket-keepers, leaving out Sanju Samson. In a significant comeback, Mohammed Shami has been included in the squad after recovering from an injury. Kuldeep Yadav, another key player, also makes his return.
Several notable names, including Mohammed Siraj, Nitish Reddy, and Karun Nair, have not been included in the team. Yashasvi Jaiswal, who is yet to make his ODI debut, has been brought in as a backup opener, thanks to his impressive performances in Tests and T20Is.
India’s squad is identical for both the Champions Trophy and the England series, ensuring consistency in preparations. However, the absence of a pace-bowling all-rounder to back up Hardik Pandya could become a concern if fitness issues arise.
The Champions Trophy 2025 is set to take place from 19 February to 9 March.
Full squad for the Champions Trophy 2025:
Batters: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer
Wicket-Keepers: KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant
All-Rounders: Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar
Bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav
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Opposition raking up Dalit CM issue to divert attention: Karnataka Minister
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Monday accused the opposition of "unnecessarily stoking" the debate over a Dalit Chief Minister to deflect attention from governance.
He asserted that only the Congress has the commitment to elevate a Dalit leader to the top post.
Speaking to reporters here, Parameshwara said the ongoing discussion on a Dalit Chief Minister was being amplified by opposition parties.
“This is the work of the opposition. To hide their own failures, they are raising the issue of the Chief Minister. Isn’t the administration running smoothly? Isn’t the Chief Minister governing?” he asked.
The Minister noted that for the past 10–12 days, detailed budget discussions had been held across departments and governance was progressing normally.
Parameshwara, who is a Dalit, said the Congress alone had the history and political will to make a Dalit Chief Minister.
“Yes, it must be the Congress party. Who else will do it?” he said, while clarifying that the timing of any such decision would be determined by the party high command.
On Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s media statement targeting the JD(S) and invoking social justice, Parameshwara said Siddaramaiah had earlier been part of the JD(S) and even served as its president before being expelled.
He noted that the internal history of that party was best known to those within it and declined to comment on specific internal matters.
Defending the Chief Minister’s ideological position, Parameshwara said Siddaramaiah’s politics had always been rooted in social justice and that there was nothing new or opportunistic about his stance.
The Chief Minister, he said, had consistently built his political career on that foundation.
