5 World Cup Heroes Returning for India Champions in WCL 2025

India Champions’ squad for WCL 2025 includes five players who lifted the 2011 World Cup. One of them even bagged the Player of the Tournament. Here's who’s making a comeback.

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Harbhajan Singh – India’s Spin Spearhead Returns

A giant of Indian cricket, Harbhajan Singh played a vital role in the 2011 World Cup. He featured in nine games and picked up nine wickets, with best figures of 3/53. Known for his fiery presence and big-match experience, Harbhajan retired from all formats in 2021, finishing with 707 international wickets across 365 matches.

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Yuvraj Singh – The 2011 MVP Makes His WCL Debut

Yuvraj Singh lit up the 2011 World Cup like no one else. He scored 362 runs in eight innings at an average of 90.50 and took 15 wickets, a once-in-a-generation all-round show. With four fifties, a hundred, and a five-wicket haul, he deservedly won the Player of the Tournament. After retiring in 2019, the southpaw returns to cricket with India Champions.

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Yusuf Pathan – Power-Hitter Back in Blue

Yusuf Pathan added muscle to India’s batting in the 2011 campaign. In six matches, he scored 74 runs at a strike rate of 115.62. His big-hitting made him a dangerous middle-order option. Yusuf retired in 2021, having played 79 games for India across formats, and now joins the WCL side as a proven match-winner.

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Piyush Chawla – The Comeback of a World Cup Leggie

Piyush Chawla played three matches during the 2011 World Cup, picking up four wickets. The crafty leg-spinner, known for his flight and control, recently called it quits from professional cricket in June 2025. He finished with 43 international wickets in 35 games. Now, he brings valuable spin depth to India Champions.

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Suresh Raina – The Finisher Who Delivered Under Pressure

Suresh Raina was the silent hero in India’s World Cup run. He scored 74 crucial runs in just three innings, including match-defining knocks in the knockout stages, 34* vs Australia (QF) and 36* vs Pakistan (SF). Raina retired in 2020 after a successful career of 322 matches and 7,988 runs. He’s now back in India colours for the WCL.