ICC Champions Trophy: Can India's bowling sustain the challenge with Bumrah out?

"It's a team sport." Team India and the fans would need to keep reminding themselves of this fact as they head to the ICC Champions Trophy. Jasprit Bumrah, with his scintillating performance in the Border Gavaskar Trophy, set himself up as a prospect who could single-handedly script victories for the team. However, the laborious and brilliant run in the five-match Test series stretched the seamer so much that he picked up a lower back injury in the last Test. Over a month since the Sydney Test, the lower back injury is yet to subside for India's guaranteed match-winner. Awaiting a positive update till the last minute, Indian hopes now stand dashed as they will need to do without Bumrah in the ICC Champions Trophy.

Jasprit Bumrah ruled out, Mohammed Siraj ignored: What's India counting on for ICC Champions Trophy?

Late on February 12, the last date to finalize the squads for the Champions Trophy, Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out of the India squad. After days of uncertainty over his condition, it was finally confirmed that the lower back injury would keep the seamer out of action. While it seems like a sound decision to not rush a crucial asset into action when doubts loom over an injury, maybe the Indian management could have shaped up a backup plan more effectively? While an injury could not have been managed to the extent of playing someone, finding fitting backup options to fill such a void should have been a foolproof plan.

As loud as the disappointment over Bumrah's absence is, the uproar over the selection decisions by the management is just as strong. The three-match ODI series against England provided a much-needed chance for India to finalize their best plan of action for the ICC event. However, with one last contest remaining, there is still no clear view of what India is backing. In Bumrah's absence, the team initially named Arshdeep Singh in the Champions Trophy squad. However, in the ODI series against England, Harshit Rana earned his ODI debut while Arshdeep remained on the bench for two matches.

Along with Harshit Rana, India played Mohammed Shami as their primary pace option, who was on a comeback trail after a year-long hiatus due to injury. Fairly new on the scene, Harshit Rana picked up three wickets on his debut after being grilled for 26 runs in an over by Phil Salt. Mohammed Shami, meanwhile, is yet to display his full potential. The seamer didn’t even get to complete his quota of 10 overs, leaking 66 runs within 8 overs in Cuttack. Beyond Rana and Shami, India's next pacer was all-rounder Hardik Pandya. All this while, Arshdeep remained on the bench as fans and experts tried to gauge whether this half-cooked lineup is what India would take to the ICC Champions Trophy.

Bumrah's condition, while surprising for fans, would have been a likely outcome for the management, given his recovery timeline. Harshit Rana is new, Shami is not at his best, and Arshdeep, having played only eight ODIs in his career so far, is still awaiting a game before the Champions Trophy. In this scenario, it has rather baffled the cricket fraternity that the management, instead of going for Mohammed Siraj, a consistent addition to the team up until now, has ignored him once again. Instead, India will head to the ICC Champions Trophy with five spinners in their 15-member squad.

Spin might have played an elemental role in their dominant victories against England, but it's not just England awaiting them in the Champions Trophy. Placed in Group A alongside Pakistan, Bangladesh, and New Zealand, on Dubai turf, there's only so far that spin can take them. And yet, the management found it reasonable to add spinner Varun Chakravarthy to the squad, joining Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, and Kuldeep Yadav.

I thought Bumrah’s absence will force selectors to pick Siraj. Have 4 pacers in the squad.
It’s also interesting to note how quickly the plan to play Yashasvi in the XI ahead of Iyer is abandoned…to the extent that Yashasvi isn’t even a part of the CT squad.

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) February 12, 2025

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra was among the earliest to comment on the matter. The management’s decision to pick Harshit Rana over Siraj, who has picked 71 wickets in 44 ODIs, is just as shocking for Chopra. The commentator further expressed a similar reaction to Yashasvi Jaiswal falling down the pecking order. For the unversed, Jaiswal, originally named in the ICC Champions Trophy squad, was dropped in favor of spinner Chakravarthy. Just like Rana, Jaiswal also marked his ODI debut in the first India vs England ODI.

The batter opened the chase with Rohit Sharma but managed only 15 runs. As Kohli returned to action in the second ODI, Jaiswal was dropped from the Playing XI. Moreover, with Shreyas Iyer in fine form, the management has deemed it fit to release the young batter from the squad. However, originally poised as a backup opener in the squad, Jaiswal's exit based on just one match is another point of contention, raising questions about India's decision-making process.

India squad for ICC Champions Trophy

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 substitutes: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mohammed Siraj and Shivam Dube