Team India Champions Trophy 2025 Squad To Be Announced Soon
As per reports, the Team India’s squad for the Champions Trophy 2025 and England ODI’s is expected to be announced today, ie – Saturday, January 18, 2025. Team India Captain And Chief Selector To Address The Media As per reports, Team India Captain, Rohit Sharma and the BCCI Chief Selector, Ajit Agarkar are set to address the media today, ie – Saturday at 12.30 pm IST. Team India is scheduled to kickstart their Champions Trophy 2025 campaign against Bangladesh on February 20, 2025 before taking on arch rivals Pakistan three days later. Team India is supposed to play their last fixture of the group stage against New Zealand on March 02, 2025. Dubai will host all the Champions Trophy 2025 games for the men in blue. Sanju Samson Likely To Be Dropped Out Of Team India Squad It is understood that wicket-keeper batter, Sanju Samson won’t make it to the Team India squad for the Champions Trophy 2025 and for the ODI series against England. BCCI had asked their players to feature in the domestic circuit however Sanju Samson remained unavailable for Kerala in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Jasprit Bumrah’s Selection Depends Upon Injury As per reports, the medical team from BCCI had asked Jasprit Bumrah to at least have a 5 week rest post the Sydney test which ended on January 05, 2025. Jasprit Bumrah is however expected to be up and running before Team India starts their campaign for the Champions Trophy 2025. Jasprit Bumrah’s selection currently completely depends upon his recovery and fitness. Team India would be hoping to have Bumrah in their white-ball set up if not for the England ODI’s then for the Champions Trophy 2025. KL Rahul May Feature For Team India As per reports., KL Rahul is expected to feature for Team India during the Champions Trophy 2025. KL Rahul was pretty decent for Team India during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 where Team India played the final against Australia. However, it is also understood that KL Rahul won’t be featuring during the England ODI’s. He would be rested for the series. Kuldeep Yadav Looks Uncertain For Team India Kuldeep Yadav is still recovering from a sports hernia. Therefore his selection for the England ODI’s and the Champions Trophy 2025 looks uncertain. Kuldeep has been brilliant with the ball for Team India. Varun Chakravarthy will probably replace Kuldeep if he fails to make it to the Team India squad. Will Mohammed Shami Feature For Team India? The National Cricket Academy (NCA) had recently declared Shami fit. He also played three 50 over domestic games in the Vijay Hazare Trophy bowling 26 overs in total. As of now, it seems that Mohammed Shami is set to return to Team India’s ODI set up. Varun Chakravarthy Might Get A Team India Surprise Call It is also understood that spin bowler, Varun Chakravarthy might be included in Team India squads for the England ODI’s as well as for the Champions Trophy 2025. Chakravarthy has been impressive with the ball in the domestic games picking up 18 wickets from six games he played in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Will Karun Nair And Devdutt Padikkal Make It To Team India Squad? Karun Nair and Devdutt Paddikkal have been fantastic with the bat during India’s recent domestic season. As of now, the Team India top order looks full, so it’s very unlikely for them to get picked. However, they might get a chance to feature in the 15 member squad. Team India Champions Trophy And England ODI’s Squad The Team India squad for the Champions Trophy and England ODi’s is expected to be out anytime today. Till then, let us know whom do you think can put on the India blue and hit the field. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Should Team India Add More Pacers Or More Spinners Post BGT Loss?
The Indian Cricket Team struggled during their recent tour of Australia. With the bowling unit completely dependent on Jasprit Bumrah, the question arises whether team India should go back playing four specialist spinners or should they continue with four specialist pacers in their bowling unit? Team India’s Preference For Pace For sometime now, Indians have had recourse to a substantial group of frontline pacers particularly during overseas tours where there were favorable conditions. Historically, it has been an obsession under Ravi Shastri and Virat Kohli that there needs to be at least four specialist pacers in the playing XI, an approach which most of the times was found successful. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, however, brought forth the debate on whether it is valid in the present times or time to think in a different balance of pace and spin. Recent BGT Upset For Team India The 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy was a demonstration of the dangers of straying from this winning formula. India’s bowling attack was stretched to its limits with Jasprit Bumrah ruled out through injury and India ended up with a disappointing series result of 1-3. Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna bowled long hours but to no avail against an Australian batting lineup that was far too strong. This put into the fore how important it is to have a strong core of pace bowling when cricketing is done under seam and swing-friendly conditions. Team India’s Bowling Strategy Under head coach Gautam Gambhir, India’s bowling strategy was slightly changed during the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Instead of relying on four fast bowlers as specialists, India relied on a core of three specialist pacers accompanied by many all-rounders. This change, though flexible in batting order, went wrong for India in the bowling department. All-rounders like Nitish Kumar Reddy were used and played a not so vital role with the ball and such a move was questionable considering the conditions where pace would play a crucial role. Statistics Highlight Team India’s Bowling Needs Statistical analysis indicated that team India’s third and fourth seamers did well in the away conditions during the last several years, having an average of 27.18 and the main strike bowlers showed an even better average of 24.94. In sharp contrast, while playing the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the very same third and fourth seamers combined to post a worrying 40.18. Such statistics may indicate going back to more traditional configuration of valuing more proven effectiveness over flexibility. Team India’s Condition-Based Decisions The constant seesaw between the pace and the spin also led to a question about the playing conditions. Traditionally, Australian pitches have been known to favor fast bowling, with their speed and bounce. However, team India chose two spinners in its playing XI. It was a rare decision and one that did not go right for them at all. The spinners could bowl only 16 percent of the overs and did little in taking wickets. In contrast, Australia used their fast bowlers very effectively by placing a well-balanced lineup that constantly threatened the Indian batsmen throughout the series. Team India’s Future Bowling Strategy With these recent performances, there is sufficient evidence to justify a return to a pace-heavy strategy for team India’s future excursions, especially on fast, bouncy tracks abroad. Four specialist pacers would ensure sharper penetration with rest for the primary strike bowlers coming into each contest in fresh conditions. These words of Gambhir from previous remarks—words where he does actually emphasize that to win a test match, the team has to take 20 wickets —reinforces that a potent pace attack simply cannot be in test match cricket. The Balanced Philosophy By Team India Bowling Team India should strike the right balance of both pace and spin and depending on conditions and opposition. However, it should, in a way, depend on away conditions more on the pacers side. The strategy would be restored back to using more specialist pacers as future planning is on by the selection committee and management team. Do you think that team India will go back playing with four specialist spinners in their upcoming test match series or will they go with four specialist pace bowlers in their lineup? The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
AUS v IND: India’s Tour Of Australia Dissected
Team India has had a disastrous Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The men in blue were expected to do much better by their fans. However, let’s understand what went wrong with the Indian Cricket Team during their tour of Australia. Team India’s Early Concerns India’s tour of Australia started with a question mark over Jasprit Bumrah’s fitness, many wondering what the team would do if he wasn’t available. However, Bumrah not only played but also produced a series of scintillating performances, almost single-handedly keeping India in the hunt. His leadership and bowling inspired the rest of the attack. However, despite his heroics, India’s chances of success ultimately crumbled without him in the final stages of the series. Team India’s Batting And Leadership Struggles The most notable subplot of the series was the disappointing batting. While Rohit Sharma led by example, his own batting form let him down, whereas Virat Kohli, even at his best attempt to rally his team, made only an indelible mark in the second innings of the Perth test with a crucial century but couldn’t convert stars into substantial innings. Virat and Rohit, who form the spine of Indian batting were not well supported by the rest of the batters. KL Rahul, starting quite sensibly, again became invisible in important moments of the game, something like his ill-judged shot against Scott Boland at the SCG. Team India’s Haphazard Selections And Missed Chances What was concerning at the selection end too. Introducing Harshit Rana at Perth when things were already down and not sending Washington Sundar to bat before the overcast SCG is a dubious policy. Further changes in opening combo, like asking Rohit Sharma to bide time to bat below five, haven’t helped. Among these selection mistakes, all through the series it was such strategic blunders also that provided flavor to chaos this tour epitomized. Australia’s Consistent Performances With chaos all around, India’s bowling remains a strength still led by Jasprit Bumrah. Nevertheless, without appropriate support from their batting lineup, the bowlers did not win any of the moments where they needed them to win this series. It was a case of a very balanced performance by Australia. For Pat Cummins, his tie-up with Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland as well as great contributions from the bat of Steven Smith and Travis Head kept his team ahead. Gambhir’s Tough Decisions In the end, team India’s failure to bring their best games through key individuals in addition to few tough selections they made in a series resulted to be very pricey. Now the series ends losing the BGT, the head coach Gautam Gambhir needs to take many tough calls on players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Ahead team India will have to find a gap and rebuild again for challenges it will face again in the upcoming WTC cycle. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
AUS v IND: Jasprit Bumrah Breaks Records In Australia
India’s Jasprit Bumrah continued to rewrite the record books in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, further cementing his place as one of India’s greatest fast bowlers. On Tuesday, Bumrah achieved another major milestone by surpassing a record held by Indian cricket legend, Kapil Dev. Bumrah Surpasses Kapil Dev’s Record In a great achievement in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, India’s spearhead pacer Jasprit Bumrah has gone down in history by breaking the record of the most wickets taken by an Asian bowler in Australia. The milestone was achieved by Bumrah on Tuesday as he took two quick wickets for Australia in the second innings of the third test match at the GABBA. Bumrah Takes Two Quick Wickets The day began with Bumrah striking in the very first over with the new ball. In the third over of Australia’s second innings, he dismissed Usman Khawaja, breaking the batter’s defense with a delivery that clipped the inside edge, struck the back pad and rattled the off stump. Just over an over later, he took the wicket of Marnus Labuschagne, as the Australian batsman gave a faint nick to a length ball which was easily caught by the wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant. Bumrah’s Record Breaking Tally With these two wickets, Bumrah now has 52 wickets in just 10 Test matches in Australia, surpassing Kapil Dev’s tally of 51 wickets in 11 appearances. Pakistan’s Sarfaraz Nawaz (50 wickets) rounds out the top three among Asian bowlers in Australia. Bumrah Leads In The Current Series Jasprit Bumrah has shown consistency and adaptability in foreign conditions. He has been in exceptional form throughout the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy and is currently the leading wicket-taker, with 21 wickets from just six innings at an outstanding average of 10.71. Bumrah’s 21 wickets are now the sixth-best figure by an Indian in a tour of Australia. Bumrah’s Two Five-Wicket Hauls Bumrah’s record-breaking performances in the series include two five-wicket hauls. His first came in Perth, where he led India in Rohit Sharma’s absence. The second came in the first innings of the Brisbane Test. Besides, Bumrah has now matched his 2018/19 series tally, becoming only the second Indian bowler to pick 20-plus wickets in two separate tours of Australia. The first to achieve the feat was Anil Kumble who did it in 2003/04 (24 wickets) and in 2007/08 (20 wickets). Bumrah’s Legacy In Australian Conditions Jasprit Bumrah has been India’s lead bowler both during home seasons and away tours. His position is well etched among India’s best bowling and as the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 goes ahead, all eyes will be on Jasprit Bumrah and what new milestones he might achieve for his country on the Australian turf. Meanwhile, let us know if you have seen any better Indian fast bowler dominate Australia in Australia? The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
IND vs NZ: Bumrah Tops 2024 Bowling Chart As Leading Test Wicket-Taker
Jasprit Bumrah made sure his name stands at the top of the cricket records list of leading wicket-takers in test match cricket in 2024 as India and New Zealand went head-to-head in their first test match at Bengaluru. Bumrah took his 39th test match wicket of the year on Friday, 18th October, 2024 by dismissing Tom Blundell to surpass team-mate Ravichandran Ashwin who holds the second spot with 38 wickets through England’s Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir and Sri Lanka’s Prabath Jayasuriya. Most Test Match Wickets Taken In 2024 NAME COUNTRY WICKETS Jasprit Bumrah India 39* Ravichandran Ashwin India 38* Gus Atkinson England 38* Prabath Jayasuriya Sri Lanka 38* Shoaib Bashir England 38* Bumrah Heating It Up Bumrah’s highest so far had come against England, in February 2024, when he put together dazzling figures of 6/45. In January 2024, against South Africa at Cape Town, he repeated the feat as he achieved a six-wicket haul of 6/61. Such performances sum up Bumrah’s hallmark-a combination of accuracy and an attribute that allows him to churn out challenges continuously for even the most seasoned batsmen in the world. Art of Mature Bowling Bumrah’s approach is methodical, more focused on line and length rather than pure pace in test match cricket. The 39 wickets he has taken this year clearly point towards the fact that he is an excellent red-ball cricketer, which also goes well with his mental strength, especially at testing conditions, which was evident during the present New Zealand series. Bumrah Across All Formats It’s been an outstanding season for Bumrah across formats. Not only in test match cricket, Bumrah was brilliant in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup as well, wherein he finished the tournament with 15 wickets at an average of 8.26. The sheer supremacy that Bumrah has shown so far in 2024 only consolidates his position as one of the most diverse and impact-generating bowlers in international cricket. With 400 international wickets now to his name, Bumrah continues scripting his legacy as a modern-day maestro with his unparalleled skill and adaptability. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Questions Loom Before The Border-Gavaskar Trophy
With the flame already ignited for one of the most famous rivalries in the history of cricket, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024 is going to be nothing short of action and intense drama. Though a couple of months are still left, many questions are yet to be answered as the series gets anticipated. If Not RO-KO Then Who? Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been India’s batting mainstays for more than a decade now. The Virat-Rohit duo has piled up 2629 runs for India while playing against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Although Rohit Sharma cemented his place in the Indian red ball side in 2018, he has been a major contributor when it comes to scoring runs. However, considering the age in the legs of both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma it is important for someone else from the batting order to step up and deliver it for the Indian Cricket Team. While the hopes rest on Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill, it would be interesting to see if they can meet the expectations by facing the challenge down under. Who Will Join Jasprit Bumrah? Australia is known for producing fast and bouncy decks unlike India where the pitches are more spin dominant. To give Australia a tough fight, India need more resources in their fast bowling cartel to join Jasprit Bumrah and deliver. Fast bowlers, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammad Siraj and Shardul Thakur have a taste of wickets from down under. A couple of these guys alongside Bumrah might make a quality seam bowling attack. Steve Smith The Opener Or Steve Smith The Middle Order Batter? Any cricket fan who follows the Border-Gavaskar Trophy might be aware of how much Steve Smith is in love with scoring runs against India. Smith, till the end of last year used to bat in between number 3 to number 5 in test match cricket. However, including Cameron Green and the empty opening spot at the top post David Warner’s retirement made him think of pushing himself up the batting order. However, Smith opening the innings in test match cricket didn’t come off as a great decision. Smith hasn’t played in the whites and the famous Baggy Green since late January 2024 with Australia having no test matches scheduled in their calendar. However while playing against India, it would be interesting to see if Smith opens the batting or shifts back to any of numbers 3, 4 or 5 in the middle order. FYI – In the 18 test matches Steve Smith has played in the Border-Gavaskar series so far, Steve Smith has successfully piled 1887 runs at an ultra impressive average of 65.06. What’s Bigger – Border-Gavaskar Trophy or The Ashes? The intensity of the India-Australia rivalry has arguably reached the same level to that of the intensity of the England-Australia rivalry. While many believe that The Ashes being the oldest rivalry is cricket’s greatest showdown, some say that the Border-Gavaskar rivalry is the most fierce one due to the intense battles between the two cricketing powerhouses. Well, therefore we leave the answer to this question up to you. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Gautam Gambhir Focuses on Team Unity and Professionalism As New Head Coach
After being appointed as the head coach of the Indian men’s senior team, Gautam Gambhir made a prompt and punctual appearance at his first media interaction on Monday, 22nd of July, 2024. Accompanied by national selection committee chairman Ajit Agarkar, Gambhir shared his vision for fostering a harmonious team atmosphere and spoke candidly about his relationship with Virat Kohli. On-Field Rivalry Turned Professional Respect Gambhir, who has had his share of intense on-field clashes with Kohli during the IPL, emphasized that their professional relationship is now based on mutual respect and maturity. “It’s good for the TRP, but our relationship is not public. What kind of a relationship I share with Virat Kohli… I think it’s between two mature individuals,” he said. “On the field, everyone has the right to fight for their own jersey and come back to a winning dressing room. But at the moment, we’re representing India, representing 140 crore Indians and I’m sure we’re going to be on the same page and try and make India proud.“ Optimistic Collaboration with Kohli Gambhir also highlighted that he has been in regular contact with Kohli, looking forward to their collaboration. “I have had a lot of chat with him… we’ve shared messages. It’s not important what we discussed or how many chats I have had with him. Just because we want headlines, it’s not important,” he said. “Right now, the most important thing is we both are going to be working extremely hard to make India proud. And that’s our job.“ Future of Senior Players: Kohli and Rohit Discussing the future of senior players Kohli and Rohit Sharma, Gambhir assured fans that both players remain motivated and ready to contribute to the team’s success in upcoming tournaments like the Champions Trophy and the tour of Australia. “I think they’ve shown what they can deliver on the big stage. Whether it is the T20 World Cup or the ODI World Cup. I think both of those guys have a lot more to offer. We’ve got the Champions Trophy, a tour of Australia, so they will be motivated,” Gambhir said. “Hopefully, they can keep their fitness till the 2027 ODI World Cup. To say how much cricket is left in them is difficult. Any team that has players of their class would love to have them for as long as possible.“ Managing Workloads: Focus on Fast Bowlers On the crucial issue of managing player workloads, particularly for key fast bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah, Gambhir stressed its importance. “He is one rare bowler, who anyone would want. You want him to play important games. That’s why the workload management for not just him but fast bowlers is important,” he explained. Support Staff Setup: Key Appointments Gambhir also shared his satisfaction with the support staff setup, announcing that Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate will join as assistant coaches, with T. Dilip continuing as the fielding coach. “I am really happy with BCCI. They’ve agreed with most things I’ve asked for. The crux of the support staff will remain as they are. The rest of the staff will be finalised after the Sri Lanka tour,” he said. He also hinted at the possible appointment of Morne Morkel as the bowling coach, with Sairaj Bahutule stepping in on an interim basis for the Sri Lanka tour. Gambhir’s approach emphasizing on unity and professional excellence promises to bring a fresh dynamic to Indian cricket as the men in blue gear up for the start of the Gambhir era. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
