"I won't waste his experience" - Former cricketer picks replacement if Jasprit Bumrah is ruled out of India's 2025 Champions Trophy squad

Former India cricketer Atul Wassan has picked pacer Mohammed Siraj as a replacement should Jasprit Bumrah be ruled out of the 2025 Champions Trophy. Wassan feels that the Men in Blue should recall Siraj over the likes of Harshit Rana and Varun Chakaravarthy.

He stated that Siraj is a proven performer and the Indian team will need experienced players. The former seamer added that players who have played 50-60 matches for India and have undergone pressure are a better choice for a big tournament than going with a new player.

“So, if we are talking about Siraj and Harshit, I will play Siraj. Because he is a proven entity, he has done it. I won’t waste his experience. I will play the one who has played 100 matches. Because in such a big pressure encounter, even if a new player is bowling well, he can be switched," Wassan told Cricket Next (via News18).

Jasprit Bumrah has been out of action since getting injured in the fifth Test of the recently-concluded Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25. While his recovery process is on, his participation in the 2025 Champions Trophy remains doubtful.

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India is still a good team without Jasprit Bumrah, says Atul Wassan

The former cricketer also said that India are a good team and among the favourites to win the 2025 Champions Trophy even without Jasprit Bumrah.

Wassan opined that the Men in Blue may not face many problems even if Bumrah eventually misses out. He said with Mohammad Shami present, India are covered. The 56-year-old also added that with skipper Rohit Sharma back in form and Virat Kohli due, India are a good team.

“Look, Bumrah has done more work than he was expected to do in Australia. If Bumrah is not there, it’s Shami, so I think we are covered. If Bumrah comes, it’s a lottery. If Bumrah and Shami both come, we are certainly the favourites to win the tournament. Rohit is in form, Virat is due, so I think our team is good. But even without Bumrah, I think we are still okay," he said.

The 2025 Champions Trophy is set to begin on February 19. India play their first match against Bangladesh on February 20, followed by their games against Pakistan on February 23 and New Zealand on March 2.