Bangladesh Opts to Bat First Against India: Champions Trophy 2025 Opener

In the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025 opener, Bangladesh chose to bat first against India at the Dubai International Stadium. Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto expressed confidence in his team's performance. Meanwhile, India's Rohit Sharma revealed key line-up changes and stressed the importance of each game in this tournament.

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss and elected to bat first in their inaugural match of the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025 against India, held at the Dubai International Stadium on Thursday. Positioned in Group A, alongside Pakistan and New Zealand, both teams are vying for supremacy.

"We would like to bat first. It appears to be a good wicket, so we intend to put substantial runs on the board. We must play exemplary cricket today, and the team is confident. We've opted for three spinners and two fast bowlers," stated Shanto after winning the toss. India's captain, Rohit Sharma, confirmed the playing XI, highlighting the inclusion of Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja in place of Arshdeep Singh and Varun Chakravarthy.

"I would have preferred to field first. Having played here previously, we felt the ball comes on better at night. The squad is fit and ready. Let's hope to kick off brilliantly. There's no room for complacency as each match is crucial. From our last ODI, only Varun is replaced by Jadeja, and Shami is in for Arshdeep," remarked Sharma. Bangladesh's squad features Tanzid Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, and the captain, Shanto, among others, while India's line-up includes prominent names like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul.