The first group of Indian players and support staff arrived at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Saturday to depart for Dubai for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy.

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India will begin their campaign against Bangladesh on February 20 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Also Read: Champions Trophy 2025: Former England cricketer questions team's 50-over experience

Several key players were spotted at the airport, including star batter Virat Kohli, all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, and wicketkeeper-batters Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul. Spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy, along with middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer, all-rounder Axar Patel, and pacers Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh, were also part of the travelling contingent. Skipper Rohit Sharma joined the squad, while Hardik Pandya was the last to arrive before departure.

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Head coach Gautam Gambhir was seen with his support staff, including fielding coach T. Dilip, bowling coach Morne Morkel, and assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate, as they geared up for the tournament. With their preparations in full swing, India aim to make a strong start in their quest for the prestigious title.

Squad shake-up

On Tuesday night (Feb 11), India made two significant changes to their 15-member squad. The first was widely anticipated—pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out due to a lower back injury, with Harshit Rana named as his replacement.

The second change came as a surprise to many: Young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal was dropped in favour of spinner Varun Chakravarthy. This decision sparked mixed reactions from fans and former cricketers, with some questioning the need for the swap while others supported bolstering the spin attack.

Chakravarthy’s inclusion followed his ODI debut against England, where he delivered a steady performance, recording figures of 1/54 in 10 overs. With these last-minute adjustments, India is set to take on the best in the world as they chase Champions Trophy glory.

(With inputs from agencies)