India’s Probable Squad for Champions Trophy and England ODI Series 2025: Top Contenders

Just days before the deadline to submit provisional squads for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, a report has revealed what India’s cricket team might look like. India Men in Blue, under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, will play ODIs again after a gap since their Sri Lanka tour in 2024. The marquee tournament is to start in February. Key players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Shubman Gill are likely to return to the 50-over format, but there could be some unexpected selections and omissions in India’s CT 2025 squad.

According to Express Sports, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are coming back to ODIs and it is likely that the two will lead the top order. Shubman Gill, who often opens the innings along with Rohit, is expected to be a part of the playing XI. Shreyas Iyer is likely to come in at number four in the middle order. Although Rohit, Kohli, and Gill have been a part of the IND vs AUS Test series, Iyer has got much-needed game time in white ball cricket by featuring in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy and thus, he is ready for the Champions Trophy 2025.

KL Rahul Set to Lead India’s Wicketkeeping and Batting at No. 5 in Champions Trophy 2025

For the Champions Trophy 2025, KL Rahul is likely to be India’s first-choice keeper and number 5 batsman which may mean Rishabh Pant being left out or being included only as backup. In ODIs, he has been impressive, with 2851 runs in 77 matches, including 18 half-centuries and 7 centuries, with an average of 49.15. He has also made 1269 runs while batting at no.5. Rahul was India’s first-choice wicketkeeper in the 2023 ODI World Cup.

Pant may have a tough time coming into the side as a reserve wicketkeeper given that Sanju Samson is also in the running. The last ODI Pant played was against Sri Lanka in 2024, and Samson's last 50-over appearance was in 2023.

Nitish Reddy, Riyan Parag, and Tilak Verma Set to Join India’s CT 2025 Squad as Backups

Through the report, it is expected that Nitish Reddy, Riyan Parag, and Tilak Verma will be part of India’s Champions Trophy 2025 squad as backups. Fast-tracked in the IND vs AUS Test series, Reddy is India’s only realistic pace-bowling all-rounder, coming close to Hardik Pandya’s standard. While Pandya’s place in the XI appears safe, Reddy could get his first ODI call-up.

As a reserve opener, Yashasvi Jaiswal is expected to be nominated, despite not yet making his ODI debut. India’s regular openers, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, would be replaced by Jaiswal if they were unavailable.