'India have a brain faded captain and coach combo': Gambhir, Rohit's Harshit ahead of Siraj, no Jaiswal squad rejected

India's Champions Trophy 2025 squad has raised eyebrows following Jasprit Bumrah's withdrawal due to injury, and the surprising selections made by the selection committee. The decision to replace Bumrah with the inexperienced Harshit Rana instead of Mohammed Siraj, along with the inclusion of five spinners, has sparked criticism among fans. With India playing all its matches in Dubai, where spin-friendly pitches are expected, many are questioning whether India’s heavy spin-bowling contingent is the right approach, especially with limited pace-bowling options. Can India still win the Champions Trophy without Bumrah?

2/12/20252 min read

India's Champions Trophy 2025 Squad: Bumrah’s Absence and Surprising Selections Raise Eyebrows

India's journey to claim the ICC Champions Trophy for the first time since 2013 has hit a significant roadblock with the absence of star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah. The 31-year-old, widely regarded as one of the best fast bowlers across all formats, was officially ruled out from the tournament on Tuesday night. The decision came after Bumrah was deemed unfit for the long-term demands of the tournament due to his lack of match practice, following a back injury he sustained in the final Test against Australia in Sydney earlier this year.

While Bumrah’s absence is undoubtedly a huge blow to India’s fast-bowling attack, the choice of his replacement has raised several eyebrows. The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee opted to bring in the relatively inexperienced Harshit Rana instead of Mohammed Siraj, who had been a key part of India’s successful World Cup campaign in 2023. Siraj, who played every match during the ODI World Cup, was named as a travelling reserve for the Champions Trophy, leaving fans puzzled at the selection committee's decision to back Rana over the more experienced Siraj.

The squad announcement has also sparked further debate over another surprising change: the exclusion of opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, who has been replaced by spinner Varun Chakravarthy. This raised questions, particularly because India already had four spinners in their Champions Trophy squad, and Chakravarthy's inclusion added a fifth spin-bowling option.

With the final squad now comprising five spinners – Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar – and only three pacers – Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, and Harshit Rana, fans have questioned the logic behind the selection strategy. Given the pitches in Dubai, which traditionally assist spinners, it’s unclear whether five spin-bowling options will be effective or whether this decision will come back to haunt India. Hardik Pandya remains the lone seam-bowling all-rounder in the squad, adding to concerns over the team's pace depth.

The move to strengthen the spin department at the cost of pace-bowling depth has been met with strong criticism from fans on social media, especially considering India’s challenging task of winning their first Champions Trophy since 2013. Fans took to various platforms to express their discontent, arguing that India could have benefitted more from adding another fast bowler like Siraj instead of stacking the squad with spinners.

As the Champions Trophy draws near, the absence of Bumrah and the selection of an untested squad will likely be a topic of discussion among cricket experts and fans alike. Can India still manage to lift the prestigious trophy without one of their best bowlers? Only time will tell.