The five-match T20 series between India and England, starting January 22, has sparked discussions about the future of two star players who have been excluded from India squad.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) India squad announcement for IND vs ENG T20Is has left fans wondering if these two players might also miss out on ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Rishabh Pant
Rishabh Pant, known for his explosive performances, made an impressive comeback during Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 and recently played in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. However, his exclusion from India’s T20 squad for IND vs ENG T20I series has raised eyebrows.
Pant, a wicket-keeper batter, is in contention for a spot in ICC Champions Trophy 2025 squad alongside other prominent keeper-batters KL Rahul, Sanju Samson, and Dhruv Jurel.
While Samson and Jurel have been included in India’s T20 squad for IND vs ENG T20Is, Pant’s omission suggests the selectors may be leaning toward other options. ICC Champions Trophy will reveal whether the selectors retain their faith in Pant’t abilities.
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Kuldeep Yadav
Spinner Kuldeep Yadav, recovering from a back injury sustained during the home Test series against New Zealand, remains sidelined. Fans had hoped for his return in IND vs ENG T20I series, but the selectors chose not to include him.
Kuldeep has been undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bangalore, but updates on his fitness remain scarce. His absence from India’s T20 squad for England series, coupled with his non-participation in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, casts doubt on his readiness for ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
India squad for IND vs ENG T20I series against England: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel (vc), Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammad Shami, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel (wk).
