Team India performed exceptionally well, securing the Champions Trophy 2025 title by defeating New Zealand in Dubai. Following the tournament, renowned Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin selected his Team of the Tournament, making some surprising decisions. Notably, Ashwin’s XI includes only four Indian players and omits several prominent former teammates. The most discussed exclusion is that of India’s captain and opening batsman, Rohit Sharma.
For the opening slots, Ashwin opted for New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra, who was named Player of the Tournament, and England’s Ben Duckett, who delivered a remarkable 165-run innings against Australia in their opening match.
At the number 3 position, Ashwin considered both Virat Kohli and Joe Root. Ultimately, he chose Kohli, emphasizing his impactful performances in crucial moments, such as the game against Pakistan. Shreyas Iyer, India’s top scorer in the Champions Trophy 2024, was an automatic selection for the number 4 spot.
Beyond Iyer, Ashwin did not include any other Indian batsmen in his lineup. This meant excluding players like Axar Patel, KL Rahul, and Hardik Pandya, all of whom had strong tournaments and made important contributions for India.
Instead, Ashwin’s middle order features Australia’s Josh Inglis, South Africa’s powerful David Miller, Afghanistan’s versatile Azmatullah Omarzai, and New Zealand’s Michael Bracewell.
Omarzai stood out in the tournament, even though Afghanistan did not advance past the group stage. He scored 126 runs at a strike rate exceeding 100 and also claimed seven wickets, including a five-wicket haul.
In the spin bowling department, Ashwin confidently selected the Indian duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy. Kuldeep picked up seven wickets in five matches, while Chakravarthy proved to be a game-changer for India, taking nine wickets in just three games.
For the final spot, Ashwin chose a frontline fast bowler. Again, he omitted an Indian star, Mohammed Shami, and instead selected Matt Henry, who was the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 10 wickets in four games, compared to Shami’s nine in five. Mitchell Santner of New Zealand was picked by Ashwin as the 12th man.
Ravichandran Ashwin’s Champions Trophy 2025 Team of the Tournament: Rachin Ravindra, Ben Duckett, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Josh Inglis, David Miller, Azmatullah Omarzai, Michael Bracewell, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Matt Henry. 12th man: Mitchell Santner.
