ICC Champions Trophy 2025: India don’t need Jasprit Bumrah? Aussie great labels Rohit Sharma & Co. 'favorites'

Former Australian cricketer Michael Clarke analyzed the Indian squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. He said that despite the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, the Rohit Sharma-led side are the favorites to win the eight-nation tournament.

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is all set to take place from 19th February, and the India National Cricket Team will be locking horns with Bangladesh on February 20. After that, they will be taking on Pakistan on February 23 before playing New Zealand on March 2. All their games will be played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

India will be captained by Rohit Sharma in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025

India will be captained by Rohit Sharma in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, but the team will be without their premier pacer, Jasprit Bumrah, which no doubt will be a blow. The fast bowler suffered a back injury during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 and is currently at NCA.

In his absence, Harshit Rana was drafted into the team and will be the third pacer, along with Mohammed Shami and Arshdeep Singh. India also have five spinners in Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, and Varun Chakravarthy.

While the batting department looks very solid. Skipper Rohit Sharma, along with vice-captain Shubman Gill, will be opening the innings, while Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, and Hardik Pandya will be there as well. It's fair to say that if they play to their potential, they can win the tournament.

India, they look like a very, very strong side - Michael Clarke

Michael Clarke talked about the Indian squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, saying that the Rohit Sharma-led side have a very strong squad. He mentioned that Jasprit Bumrah's absence will be a blow but added that they still have a strong chance to win. Speaking on Beyond23 Cricket Podcast, he said:

"It is a challenge. It is a difference. But India, they look like a very, very strong side, just looking at their squad, I don't even know who's going to play, like there's so many different permutations of this playing 11. Oh yeah, I can't work out their best 11 yet. I think there's no doubt about it. They'll miss Bumrah. I think he is a huge loss. He's the best bowler in the world in all three formats, in my opinion.

"Brilliant new ball, brilliant death, wicket-taker.Any team that has Bumrah, you're a different team without him. So they'll miss him. But you look through that squad. It is so strong. I think India are the favourite even without Bumrah, I still think they're the favourites to win the Champions Trophy. I've got them in my top four. Shubman Gill's been in good form. Rohit Sharma, a hundred, a couple of games ago. So he's back in form."

I think he's a superstar, I think he's an X Factor - Michael Clarke on Hardik Pandya

Michael Clarke called Hardik Pandya an X-factor for India, saying that the all-rounder is a superstar and he will have a big tournament. He added:

"The one for me that I think they missed through the Australian summer, who is a part of their shorter format, is Hardik Pandya. I think he's a superstar. I think he's an X Factor. And I think he will have a huge tournament. So I'm saying India are the favorites and they're in my top four."

Also read: ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Ben Duckett RULED OUT of CT? ECB delivers injury update