"I have this bad feeling" - Aakash Chopra on India's 2025 Champions Trophy squad

Former India player Aakash Chopra has questioned the selection of five spinners, including three all-rounders, in the Men in Blue's 2025 Champions Trophy squad. He expressed skepticism about Varun Chakaravathy getting picked ahead of Kuldeep Yadav as the only specialist spinner in the playing XI.

The ICC event will be played in Pakistan and Dubai from February 19 onwards. The selectors recently made two changes to India's originally announced squad for the tournament, with Chakaravathy and Harshit Rana coming in at the expense of Yashasvi Jaiswal and the injured Jasprit Bumrah.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener expressed concern about Chakaravathy potentially being preferred over Kuldeep.

"They have included Varun, but who went out - Yashasvi Jaiswal. After doing that, we now have five spinners. Why do you need so many spinners? I felt the Indian team might drop Yashasvi but would keep a fast bowler for him and Varun in place of Washington Sundar. The danger I see in this is that you might play Varun ahead of Kuldeep," he said (2:50).

"I have this bad feeling because you haven't compromised your all-rounder. If you had kept only Jaddu (Ravindra Jadeja) and Axar (Patel) in the team and not kept Washi, then we might have felt that they are okay with it even if we don't have batting at No. 8. Right now it seems, no matter what happens, we need a batter at No. 8," Chopra added.

Aakash Chopra opined that India have picked at least two extra spinners in their 2025 Champions Trophy squad. He also expressed empathy for Yashasvi Jaiswal, noting that it was unfair to drop him after a solitary game.

---

"It's impossible to replace Bumrah" - Aakash Chopra on Harshit Rana's inclusion in India's 2025 Champions Trophy squad

Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the 2025 Champions Trophy due to a back injury. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that it was virtually impossible to find a replacement for Jasprit Bumrah for the 2025 Champions Trophy.

"When Bumrah goes out, you don't have one but two changes. It's impossible to replace Bumrah, but you still try. So you either strengthen your fast bowling or add a wrist spinner to your spin department. To be fair, the Indian selectors were trying to do something like that only," he said.

The cricketer-turned-commentator opined that Harshit Rana cannot compensate for the star pacer's absence.

"They included Harshit Rana in the team for the first two ODIs against England and then he played the third match as well. So Harshit Rana was being prepared. However, he is not a like-for-like replacement because there is no one like Bumrah," Chopra observed.

Aakash Chopra pointed out that there was still a question mark over how Harshit Rana would bowl with the new ball, as he didn't fare well in his first spell in all three ODIs against England. He also expressed concern about India having only three fast bowlers in their Champions Trophy squad, with Mohammed Siraj not being picked.