 "India squad for Champions Trophy 2025: 'One of the most curious cases,' experts question absence of Samson, Karun and Siraj from squad")
Captain Rohit Sharma and chief selector Ajit Agarkar addressed the media in Mumbai as the Team India squad for the ODI series against England and the 2025 Champions Trophy were announced on Saturday. Barring Mohammed Siraj’s exclusions, there weren’t any major surprises to the Rohit Sharma-led squad. Arshdeep Singh was preferred over Mohammed Siraj, with the pace attack also consisting of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami.
Bumrah, who sustained a back spasm during the fifth Test against Australia , is expected to prove his fitness in the third ODI against England on 12 February in Ahmedabad, with Harshit Rana being part of India’s ODI squad against England till Bumrah is fit.
Champions Trophy India squad takeaways | India pin hopes on Bumrah as Rohit, Agarkar back tried and tested
Wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson was one of those who missed out on making the India squad for the Champions Trophy, with the selectors preferring Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul in the squad. The legendary Sunil Gavaskar revealed the reason why India preferred Rishabh Pant over Sanju Samson.
“Pant is a left-hander and probably the better wicketkeeper,” Gavaskar was quoted as saying by India Today. “Samson might be the better batter, but Pant’s ability to change the game gave him the edge," he added.
Also Read | Biggest talking points from Rohit Sharma's press conference
Former India cricketer WV Raman said that Sanju Samson would go down as “one of the most curious cases in Indian cricket”. #SanjuSamson should go down as one of the most curious cases in recent times in Indian cricket..," he posted on “X”.
#SanjuSamson should go down as one of the most curious cases in recent times in Indian cricket..#CricketTwitter #Cricket
— WV Raman (@wvraman) January 18, 2025
Impact Shorts
More ShortsHardik Pandya is most valuable player ahead of Jasprit Bumrah for Aakash Chopra
Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra feels that all-rounder Hardik Pandya is the most valuable player ahead of pacer Jasprit Bumrah. Despite not playing an ODI since October 2023, Hardik was picked in India’s squad for the Champions Trophy. “See, in this team, at this point in time, if you ask me a question, who is the most important player in this team? Who is your most valuable player? Before Bumrah, I’ll take Hardik Pandya’s name.
“Because if Hardik Pandya is not in this team, for whatever reason, you can’t play well with 11 players in your team,” Chopra said on Star Sports. Because if you play only two fast bowlers suddenly, then you play three fast bowlers, and (when) you play two spinners with three fast bowlers, your batting becomes small. Hardik Pandya is the only guy who is a fast-bowling all-rounder. And I think we’ll need a fast bowling all-rounder here (Dubai)," he added.
Harbhajan Singh, on the other hand, questioned Karun Nair’s exclusion from the Team India squad. Karun was not picked in the national squad despite scoring 752 runs from eight matches for Vidarbha in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Is there a point playing Domestic cricket when you don’t pick players based on form & performance ? #KarunNair
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) January 18, 2025
Former cricketer Shreevats Goswami also shared similar views. “Karun nair not getting picked is like going against your own rule of making domestic cricket mandatory. Gutted for him! #ChampionsTrophy2025,” he wrote.
Karun nair not getting picked is like going against your own rule of making domestic cricket mandatory. Gutted for him! #ChampionsTrophy2025
— Shreevats goswami (@shreevats1) January 18, 2025
Former India cricketer Dodda Ganesh shared his thoughts about Siraj’s omission from the squad. “Why would you drop Siraj who was very good in the ODI format? Arshdeep deserves a place but he should’ve been picked in place of a spinner. You don’t need four of them for such a short tournament #ChampionsTrophy,” he said.
Why would you drop Siraj who was very good in the ODI format? Arshdeep deserves a place but he should’ve been picked in place of a spinner. You don’t need four of them for such a short tournament #ChampionsTrophy
— Dodda Ganesh | ದೊಡ್ಡ ಗಣೇಶ್ (@doddaganesha) January 18, 2025
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