BCCI Secretary Confident in India's Champions Trophy Prospects Despite Bumrah's Absence
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Synopsis
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia expresses strong confidence in India's chances at the ICC Champions Trophy, even without ace bowler Jasprit Bumrah. The selection committee has crafted a robust squad, and senior players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are in good form, enhancing India's hopes for victory.
Key Takeaways
- BCCI Secretary supports India's team strength.
- Jasprit Bumrah's absence noted but not seen as detrimental.
- Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in excellent form.
- India has a strong squad for the Champions Trophy.
- Competition begins against Bangladesh on February 20.
New Delhi, Feb 14 (NationPress) The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Devajit Saikia has expressed confidence in the Indian team as a formidable contender for the ICC Champions Trophy, despite the absence of their pace leader Jasprit Bumrah.
Saikia praised the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee for assembling the optimal combination for the prestigious eight-team tournament. Young pacer Harshit Rana has been named as Bumrah's replacement, while veteran bowler Mohammad Shami will spearhead the pace attack alongside Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya.
"We have selected the best team for the Champions Trophy. I am confident we will clinch the trophy. India possesses immense bench strength, and I don’t anticipate that Jasprit Bumrah’s absence will significantly impact the team’s combination," Saikia remarked to IANS on Friday.
Regarding the performance of senior batsmen Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, the BCCI secretary highlighted his belief in their capacity to excel during the tournament. Captain Rohit scored a century in the second ODI against England, while Kohli broke his dry spell with a half-century in the final ODI, contributing to a 3-0 series victory. Earlier, under Suryakumar's leadership, India triumphed in the five-match T20I series with a score of 4-1.
"All signs are positive for the team (with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli returning to form); look at the results from the England series. The conditions in Dubai will closely resemble those in India. India performed exceptionally well (against England) with a series whitewash in ODIs and a 4-1 win in T20Is. The team’s morale and spirit are at an all-time high," Saikia added.
India will kick off their Champions Trophy journey against Bangladesh in Dubai on February 20, followed by matches against arch-rivals Pakistan on February 23 and New Zealand on March 2.
India’s squad for the ICC Champions Trophy includes: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohd. Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy.
Non-traveling substitutes include: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mohammed Siraj, and Shivam Dube. These players will travel to Dubai as needed.
