BCCI VP Shukla spills beans on Champions Trophy squad selection, rubbishes reports of rift in team

NEW DELHI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice-president Rajeev Shukla said that the squad for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy this year will be announced by February 18 or 19.

Shukla was speaking to the media on the sidelines of the inaugural Kho Kho World Cup being organised in New Delhi. Shukla said, “On 18 or 19 February. The selection committee and secretary will sit and decide.”

The freshest challenge awaiting India is the ICC Champions Trophy, starting from February 19 till March 9. It will be hosted by Pakistan and UAE, with India playing its matches in UAE under hybrid model.

#WATCH | Delhi | On being asked about media reports claiming that there is a rift between Indian cricket team coach and chief selector, BCCI vice president Rajeev Shukla says, “It’s a completely wrong statement to be made. There is no rift between the chairman of the selection… pic.twitter.com/VGhdYtuH02

— ANI (@ANI) January 13, 2025

The eight-team tournament will feature 15 50-over matches and will be played across Pakistan and in Dubai. The biggest match of the tournament between two arch-rivals India and Pakistan will be played on February 23 in Dubai. India will start its campaign against Bangladesh on February 20. India’s last league match will be against New Zealand on March 2.

Group A of the tournament features current Champions Trophy holders and hosts Pakistan, along with India, New Zealand and Bangladesh, while Group B features Cricket World Cup 2023 champions Australia, alongside Afghanistan, England and South Africa.

Shukla also rubbished all the media reports regarding rifts between chief selector Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir or coach Gambhir and skipper Rohit Sharma, which surfaced amid disastrous performances in Australia during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which India lost 1-3. “Completely wrong statement to be made. No rift between coach, selection chairman, coach and captain”, said Shukla.

On poor form of batting stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, Shukla said, “When you play sport, being in form, being not in form happens. These are phases of life. When Rohit felt he was not in form, he opted out of the Sydney Test.”

The 2024-25 season of Tests was miserable for ‘Ro-Ko’ (Rohit and Virat Kohli), who are India’s most prolific modern-day stars. While Rohit scored just 164 runs in eight matches and 15 innings at an average of 10.93 with best score of 52, Virat scored a shambolic 382 runs in 10 matches and 19 innings at an average of 22.87, with just a century and fifty each.

Lastly, talking about the Kho Kho World Cup, Shukla said, “This is unique in itself. It is an Indian sport. If an Indian sport is being showcased through the medium of a World Cup, it should be supported by all. So many countries have sent their teams”.

The first-ever Kho Kho World Cup finally kickstarted in New Delhi on Monday with a grand opening ceremony and will be held till January 19. The first match of the tournament saw India play Nepal in men’s action and secure a win. The women’s action will kickstart on Tuesday with England taking on Australia. (ANI)