India recently revealed their 15-member squad for the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025. Despite concerns surrounding Jasprit Bumrah's availability due to injury concerns, India's pace spearhead was included in the team. A notable surprise in the selection was the inclusion of Yashasvi Jaiswal, who is yet to grace the ODI stage.
If Yashasvi Jaiswal doesn't play now then when will he play: Harbhajan Singh
With Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill already confirmed as openers, the Indian team sought a reliable backup option. While contenders like Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson were in the mix, the selectors ultimately opted for Jaiswal. Commenting on this decision, Harbhajan Singh expressed his support, revealing that he was among the first to advocate for Jaiswal's inclusion in the Champions Trophy squad.
"I was one of the first ones to be in support of his inclusion and his getting a chance to be in the playing XI. Because if he doesn't play now then when will he play, and left-right combination is always right and if you get him at the top then it's brilliant cause he plays freely without any pressure. He is playing very well currently and I think he should be in the XI," Harbhajan CricTracker.
Eight top-tier teams will battle out with each other for the coveted Champions Trophy 2025 which is set to start from February 19. This tournament will feature a unique hybrid model, with all teams except India playing their matches in Pakistan. India's matches will be hosted in Dubai. The contrasting conditions in Pakistan and Dubai are likely to favor the Asian teams, though the tournament's format ensures that any team can emerge victorious.
As the marquee tournament draws near, cricket pundits are sharing their predictions. Meanwhile, Harbhajan has joined the conversation, identifying India and Australia as the tournament favorites. However, Harbhajan acknowledges the potential of teams like Pakistan and New Zealand, predicting their strong chances of reaching the semifinals.
"Australia and India. But you cannot take out Pakistan from such competitions and also New Zealand. So these will be the four semi-finalists according to me," Harbhajan added.
India's Champions Trophy squad:
Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja.