Hear Navjot Singh Sidhu's explanation on the 6-bowler formula in full:

The perfect formula - tried and tested in the World Cup & IPL 2024 @BCCI @GautamGambhir pic.twitter.com/f84dxJe0JT

— Navjot Singh Sidhu (@sherryontopp) January 18, 2025

Former India cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu has stated that a 6-bowler formula is the right way to go for Team India, with Hardik Pandya as the sixth bowler and 5 specialist bowlers.

Sidhu states that this formula worked for Gambhir at KKR and for Rohit Sharma and Team India at the T20 World Cup 2024.

KKR: Starc, Narine, Chakravarthy, Rana, Arora, Russell

India: Bumrah, Arshdeep, Kuldeep, Axar, Jadeja, Pandya

Yashasvi Jaiswal, Nitish Reddy and Varun Chakravarthy are all in contention to be selected but neither have a single ODI cap for India. Jaiswal is a shoo-in, at least as a backup opener, Nitish Reddy is a like-for-like deputy to Hardik Pandya and Varun Chakravarthy could sneak in if Kuldeep isn't fit.

It is not easy to finalize a 15-man squad for a Champions Trophy in a country brimming with cricket talent like India, and perhaps the delay shows how tough a job it is! 

As we wait for the India squad announcement for the Champions Trophy, we can also keep one eye on the Vijay Hazare Trophy final between Karnataka and Vidarbha.

Karnataka have been put into bat, but have lost in-form Devdutt Padikkal early! They are 49/1 in 9 overs.

There has been no clarity surrounding Jasprit Bumrah's fitness and availability for the Champions Trophy. As per a report by India Today, Bumrah is likely to be selected, but whether he plays depends on his fitness.

Remember, India can also make changes to their squad till February 13, one week before their first CT 2025 game.

The press conference was scheduled to start at 12:30 PM, but the suspense has been carried on for more than 1 hour 15 minutes since, with the selection meeting still going on at the Wankhede Stadium. Are there any late surprises in store?

The selection meeting for India's Champions Trophy squad is still underway at the Wankhede, and further delay of the press conference is possible as per Indian Express journalist Devendra Pandey. 

Rohit Sharma is certain to be captain, but the role of vice-captain is one of big debate. Shubman Gill was vice-captain for the Sri Lanka ODI series in 2024, but Jasprit Bumrah impressed in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Meanwhile, Axar Patel has been named vice-captain for the T20I series against England. And, lest we forget about Hardik Pandya.

Virat Kohli continues to be India's stalwart in ODI cricket. Player of the Tournament at the 2023 World Cup, there is little doubt surrounding Kohli's selection. However, will this be his last chance at a 50-over trophy?

Kohli has also recently suffered a neck sprain recently, and has informed the BCCI medical team that he won't be able to play the Ranji Trophy game from January 23.

Not just the Champions Trophy, India will also announce the squad for the England ODI series. It will be intriguing to see whether India announce identical squads as preparation, or whether players like Karun Nair are rewarded with a spot in the England series.

Rohit Sharma, Ajit Agarkar and co. will have to make a few key decisions for the 15-man squad:

- Is Jasprit Bumrah fit enough to be in the squad?

- Can Kuldeep and Shami make it?

- Which 3 (or 4) spinners are chosen?

- Rahul v Pant v Samson: The wicket-keeper spot?

- Do you spring a wildcard like Karun Nair?

Mohammed Shami is already confirmed for the five-match T20I series, but whether he is ready to bowl 10-over spells for the Champions Trophy at international level will be a query answered today by Rohit and Agarkar.

On pure skill and merit, Bumrah and Shami's places in the India XI cannot be questioned.

 The press conference for India's squad announcement for the Champions Trophy 2025 will be underway shortly! Stay tuned, right here on NDTV Sports, for the live updates!

What will also be interesting to take away from the press conference would be Rohit and Agarkar's say on the 10-point guideline implemented by the BCCI on the Indian players. Increased emphasis on domestic cricket and restrictions on family members staying with players on tours were the major points from the diktat.

If there was any doubt, Rohit Sharma is definitely going to captain India in the Champions Trophy 2025. Test struggles aside, Rohit's record in ODI cricket has been stunning, and he led the team phenomenally in the 2023 World Cup as well.

Chief selector Ajit Agarkar has also arrived at the Wankhede Stadium for the Champions Trophy 2025 squad announcement.

Sunil Gavaskar and Irfan Pathan have left Axar Patel out of their India side for the Champions Trophy 2025, in favour of Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav. Axar being dropped would be a surprise given his versatility with both bat and ball.

Perhaps the most uncertain part of India's Champions Trophy squad is how the spin department will shape up. In Dubai conditions, India will be hoping to include 3 spinners in the playing XI, and that could mean as many as 4 spinners get picked.

Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi are the major options present to Rohit, Agarkar and co.

Remember, India head coach Gautam Gambhir will not be present at the press conference today. His final input reportedly came on Friday evening, as him and Rohit sat down in a discussion with the selectors.

Sunil Gavaskar never shies away from a bold opinion, and he has stated on Star Sports that Yashasvi Jaiswal should open the batting for India over Shubman Gill. Jaiswal is yet to make his ODI debut, while Gill averages 58 in the format.

We are set to get underway any time now for the Champions Trophy 2025 squad announcement for Team India. Rohit Sharma and Ajit Agarkar will address the press conference, scheduled to start from 12:30 PM IST.

#WATCH | Maharashtra | Indian Men's cricket team captain Rohit Sharma arrived to attend the team selection meeting for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 #iccchampionstrophy2025 pic.twitter.com/IIqE232zo1

— ANI (@ANI) January 18, 2025

KL Rahul appears to be the favourite, but only one of Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson will likely make the cut. However, should India choose to go with increased batting depth, both could be picked as well.

It will also be interesting to see whether Ajit Agarkar and Rohit Sharma provide a timeline regarding Bumrah's return to action, or whether it still remains unclear even if he is selected for the 15-man squad.

There has no clarity from the BCCI yet regarding Jasprit Bumrah's availability for the Champions Trophy. After suffering back spasms in the final Test, much has been said about Bumrah's fitness, with the pacer even explicitly quashing a report that he was adviced bed rest. But will he play CT 2025? That's a question we still don't have an answer for.

Several leaks, rumours and reports have surrounded Team India in recent weeks, following their disastrous Test form, with the latest being a report by News 24 claiming that Gambhir told the BCCI that Sarfaraz Khan was to blame for the dressing room leaks. It will be interesting to see whether these murmurs are addressed by Rohit and Agarkar today.

We are just 30 minutes away from the scheduled start of the press conference of the India squad announcement for the Champions Trophy 2025 and the ODI series vs England.

Captain Rohit Sharma and chief selector Ajit Agarkar will be present. Head coach Gautam Gambhir won't be involved, having been consulted by the selection commitee last evening.

Here are the major discussion points ahead of India's Champions Trophy 2025 announcement:

- Will Jasprit Bumrah be fit enough to be included?

- KL Rahul vs Rishabh Pant vs Sanju Samson: who dons the gloves?

- End of the road for Ravindra Jadeja?

- Will Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Shami be included?

- Jaiswal, Varun, Nitish: 3 uncapped stars in?

Virat Kohli and KL Rahul have reportedly informed to the BCCI medical team that they are suffering from injuries that would prevent them for participating in the Ranji Trophy games starting January 23.

Kohli has been bogged down by a neck sprain, while Rahul is nursing an elbow issue.

India will be hoping these concerns don't carry over to the ODIs against England, with both players being vital members of India's ODI XI.

While the squad announcement is taking place, the Vijay Hazare Trophy final between Karnataka and Vidarbha will also get underway from 1:30 PM IST. Karun Nair, Devdutt Padikkal and Mayank Agarwal are some of the fringe India players who've had an excellent domestic run, and would be hoping to make another impression.

The press conference for India's squad announcement for the Champions Trophy and the ODI series against England is expected to start at 12:30 PM IST, just one hour on from now. Rohit Sharma and Ajit Agarkar will be present, in the event taking place at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium.

Mohammad Shami will restart his India career with the 5-match T20I series, and looks a shoo-in now to make the Champions Trophy squad in time.

Jasprit Bumrah is expected to be provisionally selected, while Mohammed Shami's inclusion for the 5 T20Is vs England shows that he is also in the reckoning. Mohammed Siraj has also been a regular for a long time, and it is unlikely he will miss out.

Arshdeep Singh is the favourite if either of these three don't make it, while Harshit Rana and Prasidh Krishna will also be in the mix.

While reports have suggested that Karun Nair may miss out on the 15-man squad for the Champions Trophy, he may be rewarded for his red-hot form with a spot in India's team for the three-match ODI series vs England.

It’s great that more importance is being given to domestic cricket. Though 33, but with the kind ofdomestic one day season Karun Nair has had, it would be good to see him for the ODI’s against England. Would also help in motivating players to play and perform in domestic cricket

— Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) January 17, 2025

The likes of Shivam Dube, Arshdeep Singh, Riyan Parag, Khaleel Ahmed and Harshit Rana were included for India's last ODI squad vs Sri Lanka, but all might miss out on the Champions Trophy 15.

Parag is injured, and Arshdeep might make it in if Bumrah or Shami miss out. Dube, Arshdeep and Rana are all on the fringes.

The increased importance of Axar Patel in white-ball cricket and the rise of Washington Sundar in the post-Dravid era could see Ravindra Jadeja miss out on the Champions Trophy 2025 squad. The man who won the Player of the Match award in the 2013 final did not play an ODI in 2024, and his Test form hasn't been top-notch off late either.

At 36, does Jadeja have another major ICC tournament in him?

Rohit Sharma will remain captain, almost certainly. But the role of vice-captain is wide open. Jasprit Bumrah has shown his skills in Tests, but will he be given the same responsibility for the Champions Trophy given his injury concern?

Shubman Gill was the vice-captain for the Sri Lanka tour in 2024, while Axar Patel is also in the mix after being named deputy for the England T20Is. And one can never really count out Hardik Pandya, although it seems unlikely under Gambhir.

Virat Kohli and KL Rahul will not be playing the next round of Ranji Trophy matches due to injuries, according to a report by ESPNCricinfo. According to the report, both cricketers have informed the BCCI medical staff that they are carrying niggles and will not be able to take part in the matches starting January 23. 

Jasprit Bumrah suffered back spasms in the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, but his participation in the Champions Trophy 2025 is up in the air. As per a report by India Today, Bumrah is likely to picked, but whether he plays will depend on how he recovers.

Remember, teams can make changes to their final squad till February 13.

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has made a rather bold selection in his 15-man squad, stating that his first-choice wicket-keeper would be Sanju Samson, even ahead of KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant.

As per a report by India Today, the key reason why Sanju Samson will miss out on the 15-man squad because of his non-participation in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Samson had missed Kerala's training camp, and paid the price by not being included in their squad.

KL Rahul's recent ODI experience should give him the edge, but it will be a close call as to who makes the squad between Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson. Let's look at the arguments for both:

Pant: Has impressed in Test cricket after returning from injury, and played ahead of Samson in the T20 World Cup 2024 triumph. However, ODI cricket has arguably been Pant's least successful format.

Samson: Sensational T20I form in 2024 saw him register 3 centuries. But his last ODI was in 2023, although he did score a century in that game. Missed out on the Vijay Hazare Trophy, for state side Kerala.

In July, Nitish Reddy had told NDTV that he was preparing to play the 'Hardik Pandya role'. 6 months and a maiden Test century later, could he now be in the reckoning in 50-over cricket? Pandya's fitness haunted India even in the 2023 World Cup, and Reddy could be a like-for-like replacement should anything happen to the senior pro.

The big name, who has taken the world of cricket by storm in 2024, but has somehow still not made his ODI debut, is Yashasvi Jaiswal. Everyone fancies that the left-hander will make the cut for the squad, with many like legendary opener Virender Sehwag tipping Jaiswal for the final 15.

On the other hand, there is also a debate over Varun Chakravarthy and Nitish Reddy to make the squad, despite both having never played an ODI for India.

Karun Nair isn't the only India hopeful to make a serious impression in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Devdutt Padikkal has been in the form of his life, and has over 2,000 List A runs at an average of 82! It is the highest 50-over average of any cricketer ever to have scored that amount of runs.

Could he be in the reckoning as well?

It is no secret that Varun Chakravarthy performed admirably under Gautam Gambhir at KKR, but it is also a fact that he was phenomenal upon his comeback in T20Is. If Kuldeep Yadav misses out due to injury, there could be a chance that Chakravarthy gets picked as India's wrist-spin option.

Remember, Varun Chakravarthy is yet to make his debut in ODI cricket.

 Ravindra Jadeja retired from T20I cricket following the T20 World Cup 2024 win, but was not included in the squad for the three ODIs vs Sri Lanka. On that choice, Gautam Gambhir stated that he was rested, but his form has since also faded in Test cricket.

Will the 36-year-old, Player of the Match in the final when India won the CT in 2013, get one more tournament?

Kuldeep Yadav has been out of action for a while, but the chinaman posted this recently, possibly signalling that he might make it in time for the Champions Trophy:

One overlooked aspect of India's Champions Trophy squad is the debate for the spinner. Axar Patel is likely to feature, but there is no clarity over who the other options would be. 

Washington Sundar featured for India in the previous series vs Sri Lanka, and seems to be in Gautam Gambhir's radar. But is time up for Ravindra Jadeja? Is Kuldeep Yadav fit? Is Varun Chakravarthy, with 0 ODIs in his belt, set to be called up? Many questions to be answered today.

As per a report by Times of India, Virat Kohli has suffered a neck sprain, for which he even had to take injections. This could see him miss out on a long-awaited Ranji Trophy comeback, but India will be hoping he remains fit for the England series and Champions Trophy.

The great Sachin Tendulkar took time out to hail Karun Nair's recent performances. Here's what he said:

Scoring 752 runs in 7 innings with 5 centuries is nothing short of extraordinary, @karun126. Performances like these don't just happen, they come from immense focus and hard work. Keep going strong and make every opportunity count!

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) January 17, 2025

However, a nod from the BCCI towards how players are faring in domestic cricket would be if they at least include Karun Nair in the squad for the three-match ODI series against England.

However, with the series possibly serving as warm-up for the Champions Trophy, it would not be a surprise to see India pick identical squads for both events.

Karun Nair has amassed 752 runs in 7 innings in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024/25, a feat that Sachin Tendulkar described as "nothing short of extraordinary". But the report states that Karun Nair will also not make the cut. Why?

Reportedly, the selectors are not willing to recall a player who last played for India in 2017 right before a massive tournament.

As per the India Today report, head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Rohit Sharma were involved in a virtual discussion with the selection committee on Friday evening. Rohit will be present alongside chief selector Ajit Agarkar today to announce the final 15-man squad.

The big point of debate is probably for the wicket-keeper batter role. One name among KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson will likely miss out.

KL Rahul performed admirably at the 2023 World Cup, and it wouldn't be a stretch to say that he holds a slight advantage over the other two in ODI cricket.

Indian cricket team star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is all set to be included in the 15-member squad for the Champions Trophy 2025, according to a report by India Today.

Karun Nair has really emerged as a major force following a sensational run in domestic cricket. Nair's numbers are impressive in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and that is one of the reasons why he has emerged as a surprise option for the Champions Trophy.

Welcome to the Indian cricket team squad announcement for the Champions Trophy 2025 and the ODI series against England. With Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma expected to make the cut, questions remain over pacer Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami along with a tough call on the wicket-keepers.