Champions Trophy 2025: Piyush Chawla names India's probable playing XI

After finishing runners-up in the previous edition of the Champions Trophy in 2017, India will want to go the distance in the ninth edition of the tournament, which begins on February 19.

Piyush Chawla, who was a part of India's ODI World Cup-winning squad in 2011, predicted the playing XI for the Rohit Sharma-led side for the impending Champions Trophy while answering a Sports:Info query on the sidelines of One World One Family Cup 2025 on the outskirts of Bengaluru.

The former leg-spinner reckoned that India would open with Rohit and Shubman Gill, while Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer would follow. KL Rahul is going to bat at No. 5 and don the wicketkeeping gloves. He will be followed by three all-rounders - Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja. Chawla picked two specialist seamers - Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami in his side. However, the former's availability is still uncertain.

Piyush Chawla's predicted playing XI for India: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah (if fit), Mohammed Shami.

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India are currently playing a three-match ODI series against England at home. This is their first ODI assignment since their 0-2 defeat against Sri Lanka in the Island Nation in August 2024. The Men in Blue started strongly as they defeated Jos Buttler and Co. by four wickets in the first ODI in Nagpur on Thursday, February 6.

Shubman, Shreyas, and Axar scored half-centuries to help India chase down a 249-run target in just 38.4 overs. Meanwhile, Harshit Rana and Ravindra Jadeja bagged three-fors with the ball.

The action will now shift to the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack for the second ODI, which is set to be played on Sunday, February 9.

Meanwhile, India's Champions Trophy campaign begins on February 20, when they take on Bangladesh at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Pakistan and New Zealand are also placed in the same group and India will meet them on February 23 and March 2, respectively.