By Zainab Shafiq 
In a major setback for India’s Champions Trophy campaign, premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the tournament due to an ongoing back injury. Despite undergoing scans in Bengaluru over the weekend that showed no severe damage, Bumrah has not fully recovered and remains unfit to bowl.
This marks the second ICC tournament that Bumrah will miss due to injury, following his absence from the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia. The BCCI medical team is closely monitoring his rehabilitation, with no confirmed timeline for his return. He is expected to begin running in the coming weeks before gradually resuming bowling.
Harshit Rana Steps In as India Adjusts Its Squad
With the February 11 squad submission deadline looming, the BCCI officially named Harshit Rana as Bumrah’s replacement. Rana, who made his ODI debut during the England series, had already been identified as Bumrah’s backup. While he faced a tough start in international cricket, getting hammered for 26 runs in an over by Phil Salt, Rana bounced back strongly to claim three crucial wickets, helping India clinch victory.
The decision to pick Rana over Mohammed Siraj raised eyebrows, given Siraj’s experience and success in the 2023 ODI World Cup. However, selectors—led by Ajit Agarkar, along with head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Rohit Sharma—expressed confidence in Shami leading the attack and Arshdeep Singh handling the death overs.
Varun Chakravarthy Joins Squad, Jaiswal Dropped
In another squad adjustment, Varun Chakravarthy has been named as a replacement for Yashasvi Jaiswal, who has been placed among the non-travelling substitutes alongside Siraj and Shivam Dube. Rohit Sharma had hinted at Chakravarthy’s inclusion last week, emphasizing his effectiveness as a mystery spinner.
Varun’s recent performances have been exceptional, picking up 31 wickets at an average of 11.25 since his return to the T20I squad. He made his ODI debut on Sunday, taking 1 for 54 against England in Cuttack.
India’s Final Champions Trophy 2025 Squad:
Rohit Sharma (capt), Shubman Gill (vc), 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 Chakravarthy.
Non-Travelling Reserves:
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mohammed Siraj, Shivam Dube.
With Bumrah out and an overhauled squad, India’s Champions Trophy campaign now hinges on fresh faces stepping up under pressure.
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