New Delhi: Rohit Sharma, Mohammed Shami and R Ashwin made a comeback as India team for Champions Trophy was announced here on Monday.
Shami last played ODI cricket in 2015 ICC World Cup. The 26-year old was India’s best bowler in the marquee event but since then chronic leg injuries had put a halt to his 50-over career. Fit again, having played two Vijay Hazare Trophy matches for Bengal and five IPL games for Delhi Daredevils, he was among five fast bowlers picked to defend India’s Champions Trophy title in England.
Similarly, Rohit Sharma also reclaimed his spot as first-choice opener. He had spent five months nursing a thigh injury, which had “scared him” until he had met with doctors and received clarification. He came back to competitive cricket in March and has played all 11 matches for Mumbai Indians in the IPL.
Also for the first time, chairman of selectors MSK Prasad announced players on standby. These players are Suresh Raina, Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik, Kuldeep Yadav and Shardul Thakur. The players made it to the list of reserves on the basis of their performance in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL).
The national selectors, who met in Delhi, chose two spinners in the 15-man squad. R Ashwin, who is currently recovering from a sports hernia, and Ravindra Jadeja can perhaps expect part-time assistance from Yuvraj Singh, who kept his spot after his ODI career was given a re-start in the series against England in January.
MS Dhoni was the only wicketkeeper in the squad. MSK Prasad, the chairman of selectors, rated him as a key batsman in crunch situations and said he could not remember even a single day in the last 10 to 12 years when Dhoni was bad behind the stumps.
India begin their tournament against Pakistan on June 4 at Edgbaston, then play Sri Lanka on June 8 and South Africa on June 11.
Squad
Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli (C), Manish Pandey, Yuvraj Singh, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Hardik Pandya, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami
Players on standby
Suresh Raina, Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik, Kuldeep Yadav, Shardul Thakur
These five players will train at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru and the BCCI will proceed with their visa applications to the UK in case quick replacements are needed later.
