“We are hoping that Bumrah will be fit. We will talk about it if he is not fit. But we are hoping he will be fit,” Ajit Agarkar, the Indian chief selector, said in the press conference while discussing the spearhead’s inclusion in the national squad for the forthcoming Champions Trophy. Ever since Bumrah has been laid low by a back problem, the major talking point in Indian cricketing circles has been about his fitness—something that was bound to happen as he is one of the treasured gems of Indian cricket.
There were even speculations that Bumrah could be down with a back swelling. Agarkar, though, sounded hopeful that Bumrah would be fit for the Champions Trophy. Obviously, Bumrah would be a central figure in India’s chances in the Champions Trophy. But in case Bumrah misses out, what could be India’s backup plan?
Just a glance at the squad, and it feels as if India are heavily banking on their spinners to do the damage in Dubai. Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and Axar Patel are the four spinners in the setup. Considering the point that the pitches in Dubai could be on the slower side, it seems like a fair call. However, a caveat has to be added to it: the dew factor could come into play during February and March in the UAE. That could affect the prospects of the spinners in D/N games.
India also could have been a little more adventurous with their selections by including Varun Chakaravarthy. The spinner doesn’t just possess variations, but he has also improved his control and mostly hits the sticker of the bat. Probably, India wanted to play it safe after their gamble of selecting Suryakumar Yadav for the 2023 World Cup didn’t work.
There is also some intrigue over whether Jadeja or Axar would be selected in the playing XI. The latter is probably more versatile with the bat, as he has different gears in his quiver. The T20 World Cup final against South Africa and the ODI series in Sri Lanka exemplify the point.
Over a period of time, there has also been a raging debate over Sanju Samson versus Rishabh Pant for the wicketkeeper’s slot. For the time being, Samson has established his place in the shortest format, having accumulated a couple of hundreds in South Africa. For the 50-over format, it most likely was a touch-and-go decision. Samson not partaking in the Vijay Hazare Trophy could have gone against him. Although Samson deserves some sympathy, as he has been on the fringes for a long time.
To round up India’s selections, Shubman Gill has been named the vice-captain, while Mohammed Siraj doesn’t get a mention in the squad. Arshdeep Singh, who was generating some late swing in South Africa in the T20I rubber, has found a place. The tall left-arm paceman is also adept at generating some reverse swing with the old ball and has a fine surprise bouncer. Siraj, who looked jaded in Australia, will hopefully take this minor setback in the right spirit and make a comeback.
Verdict: So, can the Rohit Sharma-led Indian side go all the way and lift the Champions Trophy after a gap of 12 years? Somewhere, the gut feel says India might have peaked as a one-day team during the 2023 World Cup. But the squad is still formidable on paper, and millions of Indian fans would be hoping for Rohit and his band of boys to add another trophy to the cabinet.