India finally reveal Champs Trophy squad

The return of star opener Rohit Sharma and fast bowler Mohammad Shami are the major talking points from India's squad for the ICC Champions Trophy, which was named today.

Rohit, who hasn't played for India since suffering a thigh injury in October, has been named alongside 2013 player of the tournament and fellow opener Shikhar Dhawan.

The 15-man squad features four out-and-out fast bowlers in Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah and Umesh Yadav as well has pace-bowling allrounder Hardik Pandya.

Shami, who has battled a string of serious injuries in recent years, hasn't played an ODI since India's World Cup semi-final against Australia more than two years ago.

Veteran batsman Yuvraj Singh has also been included, while star spinner Ravichandran Ashwin returns having missed the current Indian Premier League due to injury. Ashwin and allrounder Ravindra Jadeja are the two spinners in the squad.

Opener KL Rahul has been left out due to the shoulder injury he suffered in the recent Test series against Australia, while veterans Gautam Gambhir and Harbhajan Singh have been left out despite impressive form in the IPL.

Having named such a powerful squad, attention now turns to how the defending champions will fit all of their star-studded batsmen into one side.

Rohit, Dhawan and Ajinkya Rahane are all possibilities to open the batting, while the presence of skipper Virat Kohli and keeper-batsman MS Dhoni in the middle order reduces the chances of Yuvraj, Manish Pandey and Kedar Jadhav earning a spot.

Squad: Virat Kohli (C), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, MS Dhoni (wk), Yuvraj Singh, Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammad Shami, Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Manish Pandey

Champions Trophy 2017 Guide

Squads: Every Champions Trophy squad named so far

Group A: Australia, New Zealand, England, Bangladesh.

Group B: India, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Pakistan.

Schedule

Warm-up matches

26 May – Australia v Sri Lanka, The Oval

27 May – Bangladesh v Pakistan, Edgbaston

28 May – India v New Zealand, The Oval

29 May – Australia v Pakistan, Edgbaston

30 May – New Zealand v Sri Lanka, Edgbaston

30 May – Bangladesh vs India, The Oval

Tournament

1 June – England v Bangladesh, The Oval (Day)

2 June – Australia v New Zealand, Edgbaston (D)

3 June – Sri Lanka v South Africa, The Oval (D)

4 June – India v Pakistan, Edgbaston (D)

5 June – Australia v Bangladesh, The Oval (D/N)

6 June – England v New Zealand, Cardiff (D)

7 June – Pakistan v South Africa, Edgbaston (D/N)

8 June – India v Sri Lanka, The Oval (D)

9 June – New Zealand v Bangladesh, Cardiff (D)

10 June – England v Australia, Edgbaston (D)

11 June – India v South Africa, The Oval (D)

12 June – Sri Lanka v Pakistan, Cardiff (D)

14 June – First semi-final (A1 v B2), Cardiff (D)

15 June – Second semi-final (A2 v B1), Edgbaston (D)

18 June – Final, The Oval (D)

19 June – Reserve day (D)