Where does Siraj stand in the ODI setup?

Perhaps the most glaring omission from the Champions Trophy squad was that of Mohammed Siraj. He has an excellent ODI record, averaging 24 from 44 matches and is coming off the back of a solid, if gruelling, Test tour of Australia. Arshdeep Singh, just eight matches old for India in the 50-over format, was picked in his place after a strong Vijay Hazare Trophy season.

With Jasprit Bumrah's fitness in doubt, youngster Harshit Rana was picked as cover for the ODI series against England just before the tournament, which now begs the question, where does Siraj stand in the 50-over pecking order?

Had he been rested given the workload he has taken on recently, it might have made sense. But captain Rohit Sharma did not shy away from explaining the following: "Siraj is not there because we wanted Arshdeep to bowl at the back end in case Bumrah is not available. Siraj's effectiveness comes down if he is not taking the new ball and with Arshdeep and Shami in the squad, we had no option but to select guys who can fulfill all three facets of bowling: bowling at the start, in the middle, and at the death."

If that continues to be the main reason for his exclusion, Siraj may have to wait until Shami calls it a day to regain a regular spot. Equally, he could still make it to the Champions Trophy if one of the two senior pacers end up not being able to do so.

Gill for long-term India captain?

Shubman Gill was named vice-captain for both the England ODIs and the Champions Trophy, a development that comes barely a week after Axar Patel was named vice-captain for the T20I series against England (Gill is not part of that squad).

Read more: Shami in, Pant out: India announce squad for England T20Is, new vice-captain named

When asked about the stability of the position, Ajit Agarkar was quick to point out that Gill had also been named vice-captain for India's last ODI engagement – against Sri Lanka following the T20 World Cup. It remains unclear what exactly the role of India's vice-captain is, but between naming Gill on a consistent basis in this format, and even appointing him as skipper for the T20Is against Zimbabwe last year, India appear insistent on grooming him to take over long-term in one or two formats at least.

Spin to win for the Champions Trophy

With all of India's Champions Trophy matches to be played in the UAE, they have picked a total of four spinners – one specialist and three all-rounders. Big boundaries and slowish wickets will play in their favour (although the dew factor remains a potential stumbling block).

The selection also more or less telegraphs the composition of their bowling lineup – two specialist pacers and one specialist spinner along with Hardik Pandya and two spin-bowling all-rounders (Washington Sundar likely one of them as the only off-spinner).

Kuldeep and Shami's fitness to be tested in England ODIs

The ODI series against England will not just give India the opportunity to get some match practice ahead of the tournament, but maybe even more importantly will serve as a solid test for Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Shami, who are returning from injury.

Kuldeep has been out of action since the Test series against New Zealand, and has undergone surgery recently – this will be his first taste of competitive cricket since then. Shami has been active in all three formats in domestic cricket, and seems to have held up well. Either way, they are sure to be closely monitored in these three games.

Domestic cricket – does it matter?

During the press conference, it was confirmed that Rohit Sharma would turn out in the Ranji Trophy for Mumbai, following a ten-point policy document from the BCCI that deemed domestic cricket "mandatory". Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant will also be in action, while Virat Kohli and KL Rahul will miss out due to injury.

Karun Nair did not find a spot in the squad despite a dream run in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, which was acknowledged by Agarkar and Rohit, before the pair outlined that dislodging the incumbents in his positions was next to impossible. It appears contradictory to the recent emphasis on domestic cricket, but at 33 years old and a middling overall List A record, Nair was not in the conversation in any realistic sense.

Also read: When did India’s current Test cricketers last play in the Ranji Trophy?

However, Arshdeep Singh's selection over Mohammed Siraj also comes on the back of an excellent 50-over campaign for Punjab. He is the top wicket-taker this season, with 20 to his name in just seven matches. There is enough to say that those on the fringes of the national team can make a case for selection through domestic performances, but breaking through on the weight of those performances alone is far more difficult, especially when the openings are simply not there.

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