 "ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Will the three-pacer formula work for India?")
The much-awaited squad announcement for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 was made by the head of BCCI’s selection committee, Ajit Agarkar, and Indian skipper Rohit Sharma earlier this month in a press conference held at BCCI’s headquarters at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. While there were multiple decisions that left fans surprised, such as the overlooking of Karun Nair despite his brilliant run in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and the exclusion of Md Siraj from the squad, one of the most surprising decisions taken by the selection committee was picking only three regular pacers in the 15-member squad in the form of Jasprit Bumrah, Md Shami, and Arshdeep Singh. Rohit supported the decision, saying they wanted to add more all-rounders to the team to increase the depth of batting. While Rohit’s clarification was understandable to many, some still questioned the call, especially when two of the three selected bowlers, i.e., Jasprit Bumrah and Md Shami, are currently dealing with fitness issues.
The danger of unavailability looms
Out of the three regular pacers India selected for the Champions Trophy, only Arshdeep Singh is fully fit as of now. The star pacer and India’s Test vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah has been on the sidelines after picking up a back injury during the Sydney Test against Australia earlier this year, and the BCCI is yet to provide a solid update on how bad his injury is and the exact timeline for his return. However, Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar, in the press conference, said that while he could not give an exact update on Bumrah’s condition, he was confident the pacer would be available to take the field by the first week of February.
On the other hand, Md Shami, who was deemed fit for a return after spending over a year on the sidelines and was even added to India’s T20 squad for the England series, was missing from the playing XI in the first two T20s at Kolkata and Chennai. The question of whether he is fully fit for a return remains unanswered. His absence in the early part of the T20 series also raised concerns about whether he will remain injury-free throughout the tournament, even if he is fit enough to take the field starting with the third T20 in Rajkot.
Extra pressure on Hardik
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India’s decision to pick three pacers means all-rounder Hardik Pandya will be required to step up as India’s fourth pacer whenever needed. While Pandya has been bowling consistently for India in T20 cricket in recent times, he is also known to be injury-prone. If he picks up an injury during the tournament due to excessive workload, India will not only lose a part-time pacer but also a premium hard-hitting batter who has the calibre to play the finisher’s role with his attacking batting style.
India needs luck
Despite all the concerns, if luck favours India and all three pacers, along with Hardik, remain fit for the entirety of the tournament, India might become a side with one of the most lethal pace departments. All these players have proven to be match-winners capable of turning the tide of a game on their own.
Replacement issues
Another key fact India should keep in mind is that if any of their regular pacers gets injured, they will need to replace them with a much less experienced bowler in the squad. Such a player might find it tough to come in and deliver from the outset. With the Champions Trophy being a short event where every game is crucial, this might cost India the chance to win their second ICC trophy in a row.