The BCCI on Tuesday announced an updated squad for the India vs England ODIs with the addition of Varun Chakaravarthy. The series starts on Thursday and is being seen as a perfect dress rehearsal for the Champions Trophy 2025, which starts on February 19. However, one major name that was missing from the list was Jasprit Bumrah. The star pacer was named only for the third ODI while Harshit Rana was picked for the first two ODIs. The latter’s name is still there in the latest squad.
Bumrah had suffered a back injury during the Border Gavaskar Trophy and has been out of action since then. According to several reports, Bumrah’s fitness will be assessed ahead of the Champions Trophy. With his name missing, social media went on overdrive over whether a big announcement was loading for Champions Trophy.
“The Men’s Selection Committee has added Varun Chakaravarthy to India’s squad for the upcoming 3-match ODI series against England. Varun picked 14 wickets, which included a five-wicket haul in Rajkot in the recently concluded 5-match T20I series against England. He was also the player of the series for his stellar bowling performance. Varun has joined the ODI squad in Nagpur,” the BCCI release stated. There was no mention of Jasprit Bumrah’s injury status.
India’s updated squad for ODI series against England: Rohit Sharma (C), Ꮪhubman Gill (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohd. Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy.
Chakaravarthy’s potential selection is backed by his remarkable ‘Player of the Series’ performance in the recently-concluded five-match T20I series against England, where he finished as India’s highest wicket-taker, scalping 14 wickets, including a sensational five-fer.
With the ODI series set to begin on Thursday in Nagpur, Chakaravarthy has already started training with the squad.
The 33-year-old’s ability to trouble England’s batting lineup with his variations and deceptive spin played a crucial role in India’s 4-1 series victory. Despite having played only 23 List A (50-over) games, Chakravarthy has an impressive record of 59 wickets at a strike rate of 19.8.
His recent exploits in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he finished as the leading wicket-taker among spinners, further strengthened his case. He picked up 18 wickets at an astonishing average of 12.16, including a best of 5-9.
Chakaravarthy’s addition adds further depth to India’s spin department, which already includes the likes of Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar.
With IANS inputs
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