Joe Root returns as England announce squads for Champions Trophy 2025, India tour

Joe Root has made a return to England’s ODI squad, as announced by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for the upcoming India tour and ICC Champions Trophy 2025 on Sunday, December 22. Jos Buttler will be leading the teams, however, there is no place for Test captain Ben Stokes in either the ODI or T20I squads.

Root boasts impressive statistics in 50-over cricket despite only featuring in Tests in 2024. Stokes, on the other hand, sustained a hamstring injury during the third Test against New Zealand and was not even considered for selection in the Champions Trophy squad.

Notable absences from the squad include Sam Curran, who was the Player of the Tournament at the 2022 T20 World Cup, and fast bowlers Reece Topley and Matthew Potts. However, the Three Lions will see the return of the fit-again Mark Wood to both the ODI and T20I setups under the guidance of new white-ball head coach Brendon McCullum.

The T20I squad for the upcoming India tour includes Jos Buttler as the captain, along with talented players such as Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell, and Harry Brook. The first match of the five-game series against the T20 world champions, India, is scheduled to take place in Kolkata on January 22.

Notably, leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed has been selected to join the T20 squad, while Root has been chosen specifically for the ODIs.

England’s squad for India ODIs and Champions Trophy 

Jos Buttler (captain), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Jamie Smith, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Saqib Mahmood, Phil Salt, Mark Wood.

England’s T20I squad

Jos Buttler (captain), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Jamie Smith, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Saqib Mahmood, Phil Salt, Mark Wood.

England Men’s White-Ball Tour of India Schedule

1st T20I: India v England, Wednesday 22 January, Eden Gardens, Kolkata

2nd T20I: India v England, Saturday 25 January, MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai

3rd T20I: India v England, Tuesday 28 January, Niranjan Shah Stadium, Rajkot

4th T20I: India v England, Friday 31 January, MCA Stadium, Pune

5th T20I: India v England, Sunday 2 February, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

1st ODI: India v England, Thursday 6 February, VCA Stadium, Nagpur

2nd ODI: India v England, Sunday 9th February, Barabati Stadium, Cuttack

3rd ODI: India v England, Wednesday 12 February, Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

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