BCCI NEW GUIDELINE | ROHIT TO RETAIN HIS CAPTAINCY|PRESS CONFERENCE ON CHAMPION TROPHY ON 18th JANUARY

The Men’s Selection Committee is set to announce India’s squad for the IDFC First Bank ODI series against England and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 tomorrow (18 January) in Mumbai. Following the Selection Meeting, a press conference will be held,” stated the BCCI.

Rohit Sharma is expected to lead India in the ICC Champions Trophy, although doubts remain over Jasprit Bumrah’s availability, as the 31-year-old fast bowler continues to face back issues.

The BCCI confirmed that Rohit Sharma will remain the ODI captain and will join Ajit Agarkar in addressing the press conference, where the squads for the England series and the Champions Trophy will be disclosed.

Reports suggest Yashasvi Jaiswal has a strong chance of being included in the ODI squad, providing a left-handed batter option in the top four. Discussions are also expected around Karun Nair, the leading run-scorer of the Vijay Hazare Trophy with 752 runs, who is set to play the final for Vidarbha against Karnataka. The committee may also deliberate on Hardik Pandya’s inclusion, given his performances in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, to bring balance to the side.

The ODIs against England are scheduled for February 6, 9, and 12, to be played in Nagpur, Cuttack, and Ahmedabad, respectively. India’s Champions Trophy campaign begins in Dubai, where they face Bangladesh on February 20, arch-rivals Pakistan on February 23, and New Zealand on March 2 in the league stage. India, two-time Champions Trophy winners, were runners-up in the tournament’s last edition in 2017.

Since their loss to Australia in the World Cup final on November 19, 2023, India have played just six ODIs.

During the press conference, Rohit and Agarkar may address questions regarding the recently-released 10-point policy guidelines by the BCCI following the Test series defeat in Australia. They could also be questioned about the details of the January 11 review meeting and reports of unrest within the team environment.

The BCCI has sent a ten-point guideline document to India's contracted men's players in a bid to "promote discipline, unity, and a positive team environment." It is an unprecedented response to a series of poor Test results and comes with a warning that "non-compliance" could result not just in disciplinary action but heavier sanctions, including exclusion from domestic cricket and the IPL, as well as deductions from central contract retainers. The policy will be effective immediately.

The document was prepared by the BCCI, building on suggestions made at a review meeting last weekend with key decision-makers in Indian cricket. The review meeting was called by the BCCI to assess India's poor run, starting with the home Test series defeat against New Zealand, where India lost 3-0, followed by the 3-1 loss in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. Present at the review meeting were head coach Gautam Gambhir, Test and ODI captain Rohit Sharma, chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar, and BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia.