India enter the Champions Trophy 2025 as one of the favourites, but the tournament may end up having extra significance for them if the words of former Indian cricketer-turned-pundit Aakash Chopra is anything to go by. Chopra has suggested that there is a strong possibility that this tournament could be the last time senior stalwarts of the side like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Shami play a major ICC event. All players are well over 30 years of age.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra provided good reasoning behind the thought process.
“I am saying this with a heavy heart. There is a strong possibility. The Champions Trophy is about to happen, and after that, there will be another ICC event this year, which is the WTC (World Test Championship) final. India haven’t reached there. So none among Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja will play that,” said Chopra.
“After that, the ICC event next year is the T20 World Cup but all three have retired from that format. So all three won’t play there as well,” Chopra added.
Chopra expressed uncertainty about whether the seniors would be able to play till the 2027 ODI World Cup.
“The ODI World Cup will be in 2027, which could be a bit too far. The world will look very different by 2027. I think even the players also feel this could be their last,” Chopra said.
India captain Rohit Sharma turns 38 in April 2025, whereas Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja turn 37 later this year. Mohammed Shami also turns 35 this year.
With the Indian senior core not getting any younger, Team India have already hinted at long-term leadership appointments. Jasprit Bumrah taking up Test captaincy is all but a formality, while Shubman Gill is seemingly being prepared to take over the leadership in the ODI format.
Rohit, Kohli, Jadeja and Shami were all instrumental as India dominantly reached the 2023 World Cup final, and will be hoping to play a crucial role again as they aim to win a record third Champions Trophy title.
India begin their Champions Trophy campaign on February 20 against Bangladesh, and then face Pakistan and New Zealand in the group phase.
India Squad For Champions Trophy 2025: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill (Vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohd. Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy.
Topics mentioned in this article
