Full press conference – Rohit Sharma and Ajit Agarkar on the Champions Trophy squad selection 

Ajit Agarkar regarding Bumrah’s fitness stated that they are anticipating updates on Jasprit Bumrah’s condition and expect to receive information from the BCCI’s medical team in early February.

Rohit Sharma is set to participate in the RANJI tournament.

Rohit Sharma 🗣️: “Over the past 6-7 years, if you check our schedule, we haven’t had a break of 45 days while cricket is ongoing. The only downtime comes after the IPL when there’s a lull. Our domestic season kicks off in October and runs until March. Players who aren’t involved in all formats can take part when domestic matches are on. Personally, since I started playing Test cricket consistently, there’s hardly any downtime. With regular international commitments, it’s essential to take breaks to recharge. No one takes that lightly.”

🔴“Rishabh Pant will be the go-to wicketkeeper batter for the Champions Trophy and the England ODI teams,”

Rohit Sharma on Gambhir:

“Gautam Gambhir is the kind of player who, once we’re out there, fully trusts the captain to make the calls. That’s the level of trust we share,”

Agarkar on BCCI Guidelines:

“I wouldn’t call it a strict order; it’s just one of the things the BCCI has laid out,” Agarkar said regarding the BCCI’s 10-point guidelines for contracted players.

Rohit Sharma talked about Siraj not being picked and Shami coming in:

“We’re uncertain about Bumrah’s availability, so we needed someone who can bowl well at the start and the end. Shami’s skills with the new ball are impressive. It’s a bummer that Siraj had to sit this one out, but we had to go with players who fit the roles we needed.”

Rohit on Arshdeep Singh:

Although Arshdeep hasn’t had extensive experience in ODIs, he has been involved in white-ball cricket for a significant period. Therefore, we aren’t concerned about his lack of experience. It’s impossible to satisfy everyone. Ultimately, the goal is to select a team that can secure victories.

Rohit Sharma on Jaiswal’s Selection:

“We chose Jaiswal based on his recent performances, even though he hasn’t played ODI cricket yet. His selection is rooted in potential, and sometimes that means some players will be left out. It’s unfortunate, but you can’t make everyone happy. Our aim is to assemble the best team capable of winning in various scenarios, and I believe these players can achieve that.”

Agarkar on Vice-Captaincy:

“Shubman was already the vice-captain during the Sri Lanka series, so I don’t think it’s a significant issue. Much of the feedback comes from within the dressing room, and we want to keep our options flexible. One challenge is that not many players are captaining their state teams these days.”

Agarkar on Karun Nair’s exclusion from the team:

“We certainly had a conversation about it. Right now, securing a place in this squad is quite challenging. Just look at the players who have been selected; they all have averages above 40.”