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India's squad for Champions Trophy:
While the official announcement of India's squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 may be a few days away, reports have stated that the choice for leadership is already a foregone conclusion and unlikely to change. As per a report by The Times of India, Rohit Sharma is all set to captain India in the Champions Trophy. Regarding vice-captaincy, that responsibility will reportedly be given to pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, should he recover in time for the tournament. The vice-captaincy, in particular, has been a much-debated position.With India playing only three ODIs in 2024, there hasn't been much need to change a working formula. India, under Rohit, reached the 2023 World Cup final in dominant style, with Rohit himself performing excellently with the bat.
However, what may come as a surprise is the decision taken by the selectors to appoint Bumrah as the vice-captain. The role of vice-captaincy in limited-overs cricket has switched hands considerably.
Hardik Pandya was usually the vice-captain during the Rahul Dravid era, while KL Rahul also took up the responsibility at times. Shubman Gill was entrusted with the role in ODIs and T20Is following Gautam Gambhir's arrival, but is seemingly no more in their plans.
Instead, Bumrah is set to be named as deputy. The pacer led India to victory in their only Test win during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, and has also led by example with his performances with the ball.
However, Bumrah's participation in the Champions Trophy is not certain. After picking up an injury in the final Test against Australia, he is not certain to feature in the ODI series against England from February 6, just two weeks ahead of the Champions Trophy.
If Bumrah misses out, the can of worms will be opened again regarding vice-captaincy, with no clear favourite for the role.