Shubman Gill to open for India in ICC Champions Trophy 2025, says Dinesh Karthik

India’s cricket team is gearing up for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, set to begin next month in Dubai. Although Pakistan is the official host of the tournament, India will play its matches in Dubai due to the ongoing political tensions between the two countries.  

The BCCI selectors recently announced India’s squad for the eight-team event. Among the selected players is young opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal, who has yet to make his ODI debut. Despite Jaiswal’s impressive form, former Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik believes Shubman Gill will open the innings for India.  

Gill, who debuted for India in January 2019, has become a reliable player in ODIs, scoring 2,328 runs in 47 matches. Karthik feels that naming Gill as the vice-captain for the tournament guarantees his place in the playing XI.  

“Purely because Shubman Gill has been announced as vice-captain, it’s their way of saying he is going to start and he’s going to play all games. So, he will be opening in this Champions Trophy," Karthik said.
  
Many fans and experts argue that Jaiswal should open the innings as a left-handed batter, providing a left-right combination at the top. However, Karthik is confident that Gill, with his consistent performances, will get the nod over the newcomer.  

Karthik also shared his views on India’s overall squad for the tournament. While he praised the selection, he felt there could have been a better balance in the bowling department.  

“I only feel one thing. Could there have been a fast bowler instead of two left-arm spinning all-rounders? I think they found it hard to choose which one to take amongst the two. That was the only thing. Could it have been Harshit (Rana) or Siraj as the next fast bowler? That’s the only thing. Other than that, I think they’ve picked a fair squad. I hoped Varun Chakravarthy would be there, but they’ve gone for Kuldeep Yadav, fair enough,” Karthik added.  

Led by Rohit Sharma, India will aim to bring home the Champions Trophy after last winning it in 2013. The inclusion of players like Gill, who has proven himself in ODIs, is expected to strengthen India’s chances in the highly competitive tournament.