Pant axed, Samson promoted; Jaiswal is Rohit's new partner in India's Champions Trophy squad picked by Harbhajan, Sehwag

While an entire cricket-crazy nation awaits India's squad for the Champions Trophy 2025, which starts February 19 and will be played across Pakistan and the UAE, the suspense around the 15 keeps building. While some names, such as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya, are automatic selections, the same cannot be said about the rest. There is no news or update on Jasprit Bumrah's recovery, making him a doubtful starter. Mohammed Shami has been recalled for the T20Is against England, but whether he will be able to endure the workload of a 50-over game remains to be seen. Kuldeep Yadav has resumed bowling, but with no uncertainty over a return, jumping ahead and including him in the squad remains risky. Shubman Gill and Ravindra Jadeja are two names that will make it more or less. But barring these 4, there's no clarity. Virender Sehwag wants to see Yashasvi Jaiswal (L) play ODIs for India and Harbhajan vouches for Sanju Samson over Rishabh Pant.(AP-PTI)

However, by naming their picks in the Champions Trophy squad, former India cricketers Virender Sehwag and Harbhajan Singh may have made the selectors' job a tad easy. Ajit Agarkar and his panel of selectors have a task at hand. Expected to be announced latest by January 12, India's squad is not yet out because the BCCI selection committee is keeping a close eye on those playing in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. With the tournament ending Saturday, expect India's squad to be officially named by Sunday, January 19.

Coming back to Harbhajan and Sehwag, both have special suggestions. Harbhajan wants Sanju Samson, not Rishabh Pant to be India's first-choice wicketkeeper for the ICC spectacle, given the duo's contrasting forms. While Pant has struggled to score runs in the five-Test series against Australia (255 runs from 9 innings), Samson has pretty much been unstoppable in T20Is for India. Samson smashed three centuries in five innings across the Bangladesh and South Africa series and is undoubtedly carrying much better form than Pant. Samson isn't part of Kerala's Vijay Hazare Trophy squad as KCA went ahead with players from their camp, but Harbhajan reckons his T20I exploits should be enough to pip Pant as India's first-choice wicketkeeper.

"Sanju Samson is my choice. Sanju Samson would be the first-choice," Harbhajan told YouTube channel 'Switch' on the sidelines of the ILT20 when asked to pick between Samson and Rishabh Pant.

Sehwag wants Jaiswal in ODIs

Meanwhile, Sehwag, Harbhajan's long-time India teammate had an interesting choice regarding India's openers. In all likelihood, captain Rohit is set to open the innings along with Gill, but if Sehwag's choice is to be taken into consideration, India should introduce a new opening pair at the Champions Trophy in the form of Rohit and Yashasvi Jaiswal.

The young left-handed opener has tasted tremendous success in Tests for India, scoring 700-runs against England and coming off 391 runs from 5 Tests against Australia. Jaiswal has played 19 Tests and 23 T20Is for India but is yet to debut in ODIs, but Sehwag is confident that taking a punt of the 21-year-old will only yield good results for India at the Champions Trophy.

"My advice to the selectors would be to give Jaiswal a chance in 50-overs. The way he bats in Tests and T20Is, ODIs is a suitable format for him. Jaiswal should definitely be part of India's ODI set-up," he said on the same channel when asked about India's squad composition for Champions Trophy.

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