With fewer than 100 days left until the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, scheduled to be hosted in Pakistan, the tournament's dates and fixtures remain unannounced, adding to the mounting uncertainty surrounding the event.
Naqvi maintained that the PCB is still awaiting a reply from the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding the details and clarity of the BCCI’s decision, which was conveyed to the global body.
With three days remaining for the opening Test at the Optus Stadium in Perth, the Indian think tank led by head coach Gautam Gambhir has been challenged on several fronts.
The original tour schedule included cities like Skardu, Hunza and Muzaffarabad, which fall in the PoK region, a disputed territory between India and Pakistan.
The Trophy Tour is part of the global body’s promotional campaign, involving visits to multiple cities as per discussions between the international body and the host country.
Jayawardene, who has seen Bumrah from close quarters in the Mumbai Indians camp, adds that in the immediate, the pace bowler will receive lots of support from seniors when he is leading the side in the rescheduled fifth Test against England at Edgbaston.
Rohit, who has been ruled out of the Edgbaston Test, starting on Friday, after testing Covid-19 positive, is expected to recover and be fit for the white ball series, beginning on July 7 in Southampton. So he has been named as the skipper for both T20I and ODI series.
The release also said that wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant will serve as Bumrah's deputy for the much-anticipated Test match.
The 35-year old Sharma tested positive on the second day of the warm-up match in Leicester last week and is currently serving the five-day isolation as recommended by the UK government.
India leads the five-match Test series 2-1, and a win or even a draw would help them seal the series, but a loss would be disastrous given the upcoming busy season and the crucial World Test Championship (WTC) points at stake.
