New Delhi [India], January 20: Former cricketer Suresh Raina emphasized the importance of Rishabh Pant’s role in the Indian squad for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, urging the wicketkeeper-batter to “play with more responsibility.”
On Saturday, Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar and captain Rohit Sharma announced the 15-member squad for the Champions Trophy 2025 and the ODI series against England. Pant, who made his ODI debut in 2018, has scored 871 runs in 31 50-over matches at a strike rate of 106.21. His most recent ODI was against Sri Lanka in 2024, where he managed just six runs at a strike rate of 66.66.
Speaking on Star Sports Press Room, Raina praised Pant’s improvement in wicketkeeping but stressed that he needs to be more responsible in his approach, especially in a 50-over format like the Champions Trophy. Raina noted that the upcoming white-ball series against England would provide a great opportunity for Pant to further enhance his game.
“If Yashasvi Jaiswal doesn’t make the playing XI, Pant will have a very important role in the squad,” Raina said. “He has improved a lot in his wicket-keeping, but he needs to play with more responsibility. This is a 50-over tournament, and with the upcoming series against England, which includes 5 T20Is and 3 ODIs, it’s a great chance for him. If Yashasvi doesn’t play in the top order, Pant can step in at number four and bat before Hardik Pandya. If he stays at the crease for 40-50 deliveries, he can finish off the game.”
Raina emphasized the need for Pant to spend time at the crease to make a significant impact. “He has the talent and ability to be an X-factor for the Indian team. If he plays 50 deliveries, he can score 80-100 runs. But he has to be patient. If he makes a mistake, it could cost a lot.”
The ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which will take place from February 19 to March 9, will be jointly hosted by Pakistan and the UAE. India will play their matches in the UAE under a hybrid model, with the tournament featuring 15 matches across both countries.
India’s opening match in the Champions Trophy will be against Bangladesh on February 20, followed by their highly anticipated match against Pakistan on February 23. India’s final group-stage match will be against New Zealand on March 2. All of India’s matches will be held in Dubai.
India’s squad for ICC Champions Trophy 2025: 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.