Arshdeep Singh is not part of India's playing XI vs Bangladesh
Photo : AP
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Arshdeep Singh is not part of India's playing XI
- Harshit Rana and Mohammed Shami are starting
- India have three spinners and pace bowling options each
After Bangladesh won the toss and chose to bat first in India's first match of the 2025 Champions Trophy campaign at the Dubai International Stadium, the Men in Blue made a surprise selection call as Arshdeep Singh was not part of the playing XI.
Arshdeep absence seems a tactical call as the Men in Blue have opted to play just two specialist pacers with Hardik Pandya tasked with the job ofbeing a third pacer. Mohammed Shami and Harshit Rana have got the nod over the left-arm pacer.
Harshit's selection comes as the latest move in the team management's faith in him after giving him a Test debut in Australia and his maiden ODI cap earlier this month against England. Harshit also made his T20I debut against England in January as a concussion substitution.
Harshit has set the record for being the only Indian bowler in history to take three or more wickets in his debut match in all three formats. As far as ODIs are concerned, he impressed against England despite a few expensive spells with six wickets in three matches at an economy of 6.95.
Arshdeep is India's all-time highest wicket-taker in T20I cricket with 98 scalps but has played just nine ODIs in his career in which he has taken 14 wickets at an economy of 5.17 with one five-wicket haul.
It is worth noting that Harshit was not part of India's original squad and only came in as a replacement for Jasprit Bumrah. Meanwhile, Arshdeep was named in the initial 15-member squad announced in January by chief selector Ajit Agarkar.
Elsewhere, India's selection picks were on expected lines with Kuldeep Yadav getting the nod over Varun Chakravarthy.
India vs Bangladesh Live
Playing XI For India vs Bangladesh Champions Trophy 2025
India: Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul(w), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav
Bangladesh: Tanzid Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Najmul Hossain Shanto(c), Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim(w), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Jaker Ali, Rishad Hossain, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman
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