Rohit, Shami, Dhawan selected in Champions Trophy squad

New Delhi: The Board of Control for Cricket in India today announced 15-member squad for the ICC Champions Trophy, to be played in England and Wales from June 1.The 15-member squad, led by Virat Kohli, sees the return of Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane, while no new faces were introduced as the team is same that was for the last ODI series played by India, against England in January 2017.Meanwhile, who missed the squad are Pant, Raina, Shardul, Kuldeep, Karthik said MSK Prasad.

A fully fit Rohit Sharma and Mohammed Shami booked their spots in India's squad for the Champions Trophy.Rohit has not played ODI cricket since October last year and Shami's time away extends back to the World Cup in 2015.R Ashwin, who is currently recovering from a sports hernia, and Yuvraj Singh were among the 15 men chosen as well.The naming of the team as scheduled for April 25, but was delayed as the BCCI and the International Cricket Council (ICC) could not come to terms regarding the new revenue and governance structure.

The BCCI had even indicated that it may not send a team to the Champions Trophy, a decision regarding which was sent aside for the boards Special General Meeting (SGM) yesterday.However, the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) intervened and unequivocally asked the BCCI to announce the team without any further delay.The BCCI thereafter decided unanimously during the SGM yesterday that the Indian cricket team will participate in the Champions Trophy and the selection process to pick the squad would be held on May 8.

Also, softening its previous stand against the International Cricket Council (ICC), the Indian board decided not to send a legal notice to the world body, calling it a conciliatory approach.Current joint-secretary Amitabh Choudhary has been tasked with negotiating with the ICC on behalf of the BCCI while keeping its legal options open.

Squad: Virat Kohli (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wk), Yuvraj Singh, Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Manish Pandey.(UNI)