Gill will be leading in future: Yograj backs India's squad for Champions Trophy

Chandigarh, Jan 18 Former India cricketer and coach Yograj Singh lauded the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for their approach towards picking the 15-member squad for the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025.

India chief selector Ajit Agarkar named the combined squad for the three-match ODI series as well as the Champions Trophy in the presence of captain Rohit Sharma at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai on Saturday.

Shubman Gill was named the vice-captain for both ODI assignments while Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav and Yashasvi Jaiswal were included in the squad. India pacer Mohammed Siraj was left out of the team as Arshdeep Singh was picked ahead of him.

“I am very happy, I want to congratulate the selectors and the BCCI. The people who have played cricket are the ones who have selected the team. They have retained the correct players, Rohit will be captaining the side and Shubman Gill will be the vice-captain because he will be leading in the future.

“This is the correct way of going about things, we should back and support players who are going through a rough patch. I will say that Abhishekh Sharma should have also been in the team as he is going to be a big player in the future and this is a great opportunity for him to learn,” Singh told IANS.

India, the two-time Champions Trophy winners, will begin their campaign against Bangladesh on February 20, after which they play against arch-rivals Pakistan on February 23, before facing New Zealand on March 2.

Singh also backed the BCCI's decision to implement strict guidelines for senior men's team to enforce discipline among squad members following their two consecutive Test series defeats against New Zealand and Australia which included restrictions on wives or family accompanying the players on tours.

“When one is travelling with the team, what is the point of travelling with your family? It shakes your focus. You can do whatever once you retire but when you’re playing for your country then carrying your chefs and all adds an extra burden. Wives don’t really know much about cricket, why would you want your kids and wife with you? When you’re playing, the team is your family, I don’t think it is needed. I am against it,” he concluded.

India squad for England ODI series and Champions Trophy: Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill (vc), Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, and Harshit Rana (England ODIs only).

Source: IANS