Former India opener Aakash Chopra says that another pacer can be added to India's Champions Trophy squad amid uncertainty over Jasprit Bumrah's fitness and Mohammed Shami's form. Bumrah hasn't played any kind of cricket since picking up a back injury in the Sydney Test in the first week of January, while Shami recently made a comeback to international cricket after nearly a year.

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"I am not hearing great news about Bumrah's fitness. However, I won't believe in hearsay, and won't share what I heard either," Chopra said while speaking on his YouTube channel.

"Four fast bowlers should have 100 per cent been there (in the Champions Trophy squad) because whatever we have seen of Mohammed Shami, he did take three wickets in the last match for sure and bowled decently, but he is far from ready."

Also Read: 'My biggest concern...,' Ricky Ponting raises Mohammed Shami fitness issue for India in Champions Trophy

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"I feel a fast bowler will get added. In whose place he will be, we shall find out. I feel Siraj will go to the Champions Trophy," added the former India batter.

Shami and Bumrah both are part of India's Champions Trophy squad. The bowlers, before the ICC tournament, will also play in the ODIs against England starting February 6.

While Shami has been included in the squad for all three ODIs, Bumrah is part of only the third ODI against England. The BCCI will be hoping for Shami to get in the groove if Bumrah fails to gain fitness.

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In the five-T20I series against England, Shami played two games—the 3rd T20I in Rajkot and the 5th T20I in Mumbai. He went wicketless in Rajkot but took 3/25 in the Mumbai match. The pacer, however, didn't finish his quota of four overs in both games. He bowled three overs in Rajkot and gave away 25 runs. 

England's innings in the Mumbai match was over in 10.3 overs only, out of which Shami bowled 2.3 overs. 

India Full Squad for Champions Trophy 2025

Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja