India has suffered a significant blow ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 as star pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been officially ruled out due to a persistent lower back injury. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed the news late on Tuesday night, announcing fast bowler Harshit Rana as his replacement. Additionally, in another surprising selection move, young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal has been dropped, with mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy named in his place.
Bumrah’s Absence a Major Setback for India
Bumrah, India’s pace spearhead, sustained a back injury during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this year and was undergoing rehabilitation. Despite receiving medical guidance recommending five weeks of rest, the 31-year-old seamer has not recovered in time for the marquee ICC event.
“Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy due to a lower back injury. The Men’s Selection Committee has named Harshit Rana as Bumrah’s replacement,” BCCI said in an official release.
Harshit Rana Named as Replacement
22-year-old Harshit Rana, who impressed during India’s recent ODI series against England, has been drafted into the final 15-man squad. The young pacer has shown promise, picking up four wickets in two matches against England.
Yashasvi Jaiswal Dropped, Varun Chakaravarthy Gets a Spot
In another surprising decision, BCCI opted to exclude young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal from the final squad, replacing him with 33-year-old mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy. While Jaiswal was India’s highest run-scorer across all formats in 2024, most of his contributions came in Test cricket, and he has played only one ODI match to date.
Chakaravarthy, on the other hand, forced his way into the squad with his stellar performance in the T20I series against England, where he picked up 14 wickets in five matches and was named ‘Player of the Series’.
Non-Travelling Reserves Named
BCCI has also announced three non-traveling substitutes who will be available in case of injuries. These include Yashasvi Jaiswal, pacer Mohammed Siraj, and all-rounder Shivam Dube. The trio will stay on standby and may travel to Dubai if required.
India’s Updated Squad for ICC Champions Trophy 2025
Final 15-man squad:
- Rohit Sharma (Captain)
- Shubman Gill (Vice-Captain)
- Virat Kohli
- Shreyas Iyer
- KL Rahul (WK)
- Rishabh Pant (WK)
- Hardik Pandya
- Axar Patel
- Washington Sundar
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Harshit Rana
- Mohammed Shami
- Arshdeep Singh
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Varun Chakaravarthy
Non-Travelling Reserves:
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Mohammed Siraj
- Shivam Dube
What’s Next for Team India?
With Bumrah out, India’s bowling attack will heavily rely on senior pacers like Mohammed Shami and Arshdeep Singh, while the inclusion of Varun Chakaravarthy adds a new spin dimension. The team will now focus on adjusting its strategy as they gear up for the Champions Trophy 2025.
Stay tuned for more updates on Team India’s journey in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
