“These 4 could be a lethal match-winning combination” - Former opener picks India’s bowling lineup for 2025 Champions Trophy

Former batter Navjot Singh Sidhu has picked three other players alongside Jasprit Bumrah as part of India's bowling lineup for the upcoming 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. With Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami among the defaults, the cricketer-turned-commentator called for left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh's inclusion in the 50-over lineup.

The 61-year-old reckons that the four players would be a "lethal match-winning combination" as the Men in Blue aim for back-to-back ICC trophies in consecutive years.

Sidhu wrote on X:

"Fast bowler s hunt in pairs or packs - a lone wolf is nothing but a pack effective…. With bowling his heart out fit and a left hand fast bowler like would be great asset - both him and Bumrah were picking up a wicket after 13 delivery each when we won the 24 World Cup … these 4 could be a lethal match winning combination…. Relentless pressure !!!!"

While Bumrah and Siraj were last seen in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT), Shami has made his comeback to India's squad ahead of the five-game T20I series against England. The senior player is returning after a year-long hiatus due to an ankle injury he sustained at the 2023 ODI World Cup.

Meanwhile, Arshdeep has played eight ODIs for India, picking up 12 wickets. The 25-year-old pacer played his last 50-over game against the Proteas in December 2023.

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"The mystery of his injury looms large" - Navjot Singh Sidhu on Jasprit Bumrah as India squad for 2025 ICC Champions Trophy gets delayed

Navjot Singh Sidhu further expressed concerns over Jasprit Bumrah's injury as BCCI delayed India's squad announcement for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. The remarks came as Bumrah didn't bowl in the second innings of the fifth Test against Australia in Sydney due to a back spasm. He wrote in another post on X:

"25 years of ICC history — India’s Champions Trophy squad announcement delayed for the first time ever. The January 12 deadline passed, the selectors & teammates wait with bated breath, 1.5 billion hearts pray and hope for the best, all eyes on Jasprit Bumrah. His name alone defines Indian cricket’s zenith, his brilliance commands global reverence."

"Yet, the mystery of his injury looms large . This isn’t just a delay; it’s the weight of a nation’s hope riding on the shoulders of a legend. The cricketing world stands still, waiting for Bumrah’s triumphant return," he added.

Jasprit Bumrah was adjudged Player of the Series in 2024-25 BGT. He bagged 32 wickets in nine innings. The 30-year-old was a crucial cog in helping the Men in Blue lift an ICC trophy after 11 years at the 2024 T20 World Cup.