MUMBAI: Injured quick Jasprit Bumrah has been named in India’s provisional 15-member squad for next month’s Champions Trophy, while spinner Kuldeep Yadav is also set to return after picking up a groin issue in October.

Wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, who was left out of the squad for this month’s T20 series against England, was also named in the squad by chief selector Ajit Agarkar and captain Rohit Sharma on Saturday.

Bumrah, the highest wicket-taker in the recent test series with Australia which India lost 3-1, had back spasms during the final Test in Sydney which forced him out of the match midway through.

Fast bowler Mohammed Shami, who is set to return in the T20 series against England after an ankle injury that required surgery kept him out for more than a year, remains in the squad for the eight-team, 50-over competition.

“You don’t have to talk about quality when it comes to Shami. We picked him for T20Is just to get him up to speed,” Agarkar told reporters.

Yashasvi Jaiswal, who has represented India in Tests and T20 matches, is in line for his One-day International (ODI) debut after receiving his maiden call-up in the format.

India, placed in Group ‘A’, begin their Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh on Feb. 20.

Squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill (vice captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, K.L. Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja.

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2025