Champions Trophy 2025: Not Harshit, former Australia captain says THIS bowler will be crucial for India

Former Australian cricket captain and ICC Hall of Famer Ricky Ponting has endorsed Arshdeep Singh as the ideal replacement for injured Jasprit Bumrah in India’s pace attack for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.

India's preparations for the tournament took a significant hit when star pacer Bumrah was ruled out due to a back injury earlier this month. With their opening match against Bangladesh in Dubai on February 20, India have limited time to finalise their bowling combination.

While young seamer Harshit Rana impressed during India's recent ODI series against England, Ponting believes Arshdeep’s experience and skill set in T20 cricket make him the best candidate to partner Mohammed Shami with the new ball.

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"I would go with the left-armer and I'd go with Arshdeep (to replace Bumrah)," Ponting was quoted saying on The ICC Review.

"We know how good he's been in T20 cricket. If you think about the skill set, he probably provides a similar skill set to what Bumrah does with the new ball and death overs, and that's what India will miss.”

Ponting acknowledged Harshit Rana's promise but highlighted Arshdeep’s superior ability at the death.

"That's taking nothing away from Harshit Rana because I think he has a lot of talent and we know what he can do with the new ball. But I don't think his death skills are as good as what Arshdeep Singh’s are," Ponting remarked.

The former Australian skipper emphasised the importance of having a left-arm bowler who can swing the new ball, especially against right-handed top orders in big tournaments.

Ponting also noted the depth in India’s 15-player squad, suggesting that Hardik Pandya’s all-round abilities could ease the pressure on Shami, while spinner Varun Chakravarthy might have a significant impact on the Champions Trophy.

“I think (Varun) Chakravarthy can have a huge impact on the tournament as well for India. He’s probably pretty much through his career been pigeonholed as a T20 bowler only, but with his variations and skill, he can be a game-changer," Ponting added.

'India a formidable contender even sans Bumrah'

Despite Bumrah's absence, Ponting believes India remain a formidable contender. “Even with Bumrah not being there, yes, it's very hard to replace someone like that. But if any team can do it with the amount of talent that the Indians have got, it might be them,” he said.

India’s recent ODI series win over England also provided positive signs, with multiple batters finding form. Shubman Gill emerged as the top scorer, Shreyas Iyer anchored the middle order, and senior stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were among the runs.

"It’s great to see Shreyas Iyer back in the team and playing well in the middle order. More importantly for India, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were back scoring runs and that's what they need going into big tournaments," Ponting observed.

He concluded by emphasizing the importance of momentum:“Winning's a habit and to have that behind you, you can take some positives out of that. That confidence can carry over.”

(With inputs from agencies)