ICC Champions Trophy 2025: India squad announcement date revealed, KL Rahul ignored as Rishabh Pant's backup finalized

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is all set to announce the squad for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 after the conclusion of the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25. India and Pakistan are the only teams yet to announce their squads for the prestigious tournament.

A report in PTI revealed that the BCCI and Ajit Agarkar-led Indian selection committee requested an extension after the deadline for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 squad announcement ended on January 12, with six participating teams already unveiling their provisional squads.

BCCI to announce ICC Champions Trophy 2025 squad after Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 Final

It is also being said that the Indian selection committee is all set to meet on January 19 after the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 final on January 18 to pick the 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which is set to get underway on February 19 in Karachi.

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Meanwhile, KL Rahul is unlikely to be picked as the wicketkeeper for the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025. Ajit Agarkar and his team have reportedly identified a backup for India's first-choice keeper, Rishabh Pant, for the upcoming eight-nation tournament.

KL Rahul had kept wickets in the 2023 ODI World Cup, but it is being said that Rishabh Pant will be India’s first choice for wicketkeeping, with Dhruv Jurel, Sanju Samson, and Ishan Kishan competing for the backup role for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Dhruv Jurel set to be picked as Rishabh Pant's backup for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025

The report further claimed that the young wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel is the frontrunner, especially after Sanju Samson opted out of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 to provide backup to Rishabh Pant in the upcoming Champions Trophy. Kishan is likely to miss out due to his not-so-impressive form in the ongoing 50-over domestic tournament.

Additionally, the BCCI, Ajit Agarkar, and the national selectors are considering the mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy and young leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi as potential replacements for Kuldeep Yadav, who is undergoing fitness tests and is set for the match simulation soon.

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Varun Chakravarthy has been in red-hot form in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25, taking 18 wickets so far, but concerns over his fielding and performance on flat pitches may go against him. If the BCCI and national selector consider these factors, then Ravi Bishnoi could be the preferred option for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Ravi Bishnoi and Varun Chakravarthy in the race to replace Kuldeep Yadav

Bishnoi has also been in impressive form in the ongoing 50-over domestic tournament, where he has managed 14 wickets, and he is also an excellent fielder. So, there is a high chance of Ravi beating Chakravarthy in the race to get selected for the upcoming Champions Trophy.

Notably, Ravi Bishnoi is known to trouble the batters with his quick leg breaks, sliders, and googlies, rather than using flight, drift, and dip to outsmart them. However, the young leg-spinner has played only one ODI match; that was his debut against South Africa in Lucknow, where he scalped only one wicket.

However, Bishnoi has 50 wickets to his name in 33 List-A matches. But the youngsters played 37 T20I matches for India and scalped 56 wickets. On the other hand, Varun Chakravarthy is yet to make his ODI debut, and he has so far played only 13 T20Is and took 19 wickets.