Kapil Dev sends best wishes to Team India ahead of Champions Trophy 2025

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], February 14 (ANI): Former cricketer Kapil Dev on Friday sent his best wishes to Rohit Sharma-led Men in Blue ahead of the Champions Trophy 2025.
The eight-team tournament will feature 15 matches and will be played across Pakistan and Dubai. The ICC Champions Trophy from February 19 to March 9 will be hosted by Pakistan and UAE, with India playing its matches in Dubai under a hybrid model.
Speaking to the reporters in Kolkata, Kapil Dev said that every player in the Team India squad are important.
"... I want to wish all the luck and hope to the team. Every player is important but when you have to win the championship, do not depend on one player. It depends on the team...," Kapil Dev told reporters.
The biggest match of the ICC tournament between two arch-rivals, India and Pakistan, will be played on February 23. India will start its campaign against Bangladesh on February 20. India's last league match will be against New Zealand on March 2.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) released a statement on Tuesday night to confirm Bumrah's absence from the tournament.
"Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy due to a lower back injury. The Men's Selection Committee has named Harshit Rana as Bumrah's replacement," BCCI stated.
India's squad for ICC Champions Trophy, 2025: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill (Vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohd. Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy.
Non-travelling substitutes: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mohammed Siraj and Shivam Dube. The three players will travel to Dubai as and when required. (ANI)