Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India]: Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma showered praise on fast bowler Mohammed Shami, calling him a “stalwart” of white-ball cricket following his inclusion in India’s squad for the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025.
The announcement came during a press conference on Saturday, where Rohit Sharma, alongside chief selector Ajit Agarkar, unveiled the 15-member squad for the prestigious tournament and the upcoming ODI series against England.
Shami, who had been absent from the ODI squad for over a year, made a strong return to the team after overcoming a series of setbacks, including ankle surgery. Last year, Shami resumed playing domestic cricket with Bengal and was part of the squad for the Vijay Hazare Trophy. His return to competitive cricket culminated in a memorable appearance in the 2023 ODI World Cup final.
Rohit spoke highly of Shami’s recent performances, particularly during the World Cup, and praised his contributions to white-ball cricket. “Shami is a stalwart of white-ball cricket. What he did recently in the World Cup was superb to watch… if you talk about everyone, you can’t please everyone. So, at the end of the day, you try and make the best team and best possible squad to win games under different situations,” said Rohit.
Earlier this month, Shami was also added to the India squad for the T20I series against England.
Looking ahead, the next major challenge for Team India is the ICC Champions Trophy, scheduled from February 19 to March 9, 2025. Hosted by Pakistan and the UAE, India will play all their matches in Dubai under a hybrid model. The eight-team tournament will feature 15 fifty-over games, with the highly anticipated India vs. Pakistan match scheduled for February 23. India’s campaign begins on February 20 against Bangladesh, and they will face New Zealand in their final group match on March 2.
The squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 includes:
Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja.