While Indian fans are still struggling to move on from Team India’s disastrous performance in the recently concluded Test series against Australia, the team management and selectors have started planning for the next big task.
Team India will play a T20I and ODI series against England at home before heading to Dubai for the all-important ICC Champions Trophy. The tournament is scheduled to be played from February 19 in Pakistan and the UAE.
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The deadline for submitting preliminary squads for the mini World Cup is January 12, and the selectors now have less than a week on their hands to finalize the squad. According to reports, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee is expected to pick the team on Friday (January 10), two days ahead of the deadline set by the International Cricket Council.
According to Sportstar, the selectors probably won’t make too many surprises in the lineup. India have not played a single ODI since their defeat in Sri Lanka last July. And the squad for the Champions Trophy probably won’t have too many unexpected names.
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Focus on Hardik Pandya before picking your squad:
The report further states that the possible inclusion of Hardik Pandya in the Indian squad will be a major topic of conversation when the selectors sit to finalize the squad for the Champions Trophy. The star all-rounder, who played a major role in India’s victorious T20 World Cup 2024 campaign, has not played a single ODI since he was injured during the 2023 World Cup ODIs.
After the World Cup, India played six ODI matches but Hardik Pandya did not play in any of those matches. He was later informed that he had to prove his match fitness by performing in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. As a result, Hardik Pandya has played in Baroda’s three league matches and will also play in the knockout stage. The call is now with a selection panel.
Meanwhile, Jasprit Bumrah, who did not play the ODI against Sri Lanka, is set to return to the Champions Trophy squad as vice-captain. The only new addition to the team could be Hardik Pandya. The report states that the selectors are more than likely to stick with the same line-up that played in Sri Lanka, with Tilak Varma and Yashasvi Jaiswal’s name in discussion for a possible place in the batting group.
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Meanwhile, India are in Group A for the Champions Trophy. The other teams in the group are Pakistan, New Zealand and Bangladesh. India will begin their Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh on February 20.
