India announced their 15-member squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 on January 18 (Saturday). While there were some deserved inclusions, we look at a few players who were unlucky not to make the cut:
India went in with three frontline pacers for the Champions Trophy, with Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and Arshdeep Singh finding a space. While the three have shown their credentials to perform at the highest level, one cannot help but feel for Mohammed Siraj, who can consider himself unlucky.
Since 2023, Siraj has picked up 47 wickets - the most for an Indian pacer. In fact, only Kuldeep Yadav (53) has picked up more wickets than the Indian speedster.
"Someone averages 700+, those are special performances. At the moment, finding a spot in this team is difficult," chief selector Ajit Agarkar said, explaining Karun Nair's omission from the Champions Trophy squad.
Nair seemed to have broken the doors down with a sublime effort in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, where his average reads a mind-boggling 752. Before the final, he had slammed five tons and a fifty in his seven innings, and it looked almost certain that he would make the cut.
"You look at the guys who have been picked, all average well in excess of mid-40s. Unfortunately, you can't fit everyone in a squad of 15. But those performances certainly make you take notice," Agarkar further explained.
After a sedate start in the Vijay Hazare Trophy this season, Varun Chakravarthy picked up 13 wickets in the final three matches, including a couple of fifers. With his excellent show in the IPL, he made it back into India's T20I side, but he is yet to crack the code when it comes to 50-over cricket. This was perhaps his best chance to get in.
However, 59 wickets at 14.13 to go with an economy rate of 4.28 in List A cricket should keep the 33-year-old in the hunt in the near future.