Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma to play in Pakistan-hosted Champions Trophy, confirms Jay Shah

BCCI Secretary Jay Shah has confirmed that Indian cricket stars Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will participate in the ICC Champions Trophy next year.

Speaking to the Press Trust of India (PTI), Shah stated that the two senior players will be part of the prestigious ODI tournament, which will be hosted by Pakistan.

Following India's successful T20 World Cup campaign in the Caribbean, where they emerged victorious against South Africa, Shah expressed confidence in the team’s depth and future prospects. He also emphasized his ambition for India to win upcoming tournaments, including the Champions Trophy and the World Test Championship.

"I would want India to win all the titles. We have the biggest bench strength, only three players from this team are going to Zimbabwe. We can field three teams if the need arises," Shah said. 

"The way this team is progressing, our target is to win World Test Championship final and Champions Trophy. There will be a similar squad playing there. The seniors will be there," he further added. 

Shah’s statement confirmed that both Kohli and Sharma, despite their recent retirement from T20Is, will continue to play crucial roles in the ODI and Test formats. Both players decided to step back from T20 internationals following India’s thrilling seven-run victory over South Africa in the T20 World Cup final.