Not Sanju Samson or Karun Nair! Suresh Raina lashes out at BCCI for ‘X-Factor’ striker’s disdain
Former India batsman Suresh Raina feels the selectors missed a trick by not including the aggressive batsman in the squad for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Suresh Raina said Suryakumar Yadav should have been included in the 15-man Champions Trophy squad, describing him as an X-factor .
On Saturday, January 18, chief selector Ajit Agarkar announced the Indian squad. Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul were selected as middle order batsmen and Rishabh Pant was included as wicketkeeper batsman. Suryakumar, who was part of the 2023 ODI World Cup squad, was not included in the Champions Trophy squad.
Suryakumar Yadav was an integral part of the World Cup squad – Suresh Raina
Speaking at the Star Sports Press Room, Suresh Raina disagreed with the Indian selectors’ decision to leave out Suryakumar Yadav from the Champions Trophy squad. Raina pointed out that Suryakumar brings a unique “360-degree” style of play and is capable of scoring quickly at any stage of the game.
“Surya was an integral part of the World Cup team. He is a 360 player who can score 9 runs per over at any stage of the game. He can dominate the opposition and bat in a different way,” he said (quoted by news agency PTI).
“If Surya was there, there would have been an X-factor; he will be missed. The onus will now be on the out-of-form top three. Surya is someone who can bat at any position,” Raina added.
Suryakumar Yadav has been exceptional in T20Is but his performance in ODIs has been less impressive despite getting plenty of opportunities. The 34-year-old batsman played 37 ODIs, scoring 773 runs at an average of 25.76 and a strike rate of 105.02, including just four half-centuries.
Shubman Gill given the post of vice-captain at the right time – Suresh Raina
Suresh Raina expressed his support for the decision to appoint Shubman Gill as the vice-captain of the Indian team. Raina heaped praise on Gill, calling him the “next superstar” of Indian cricket for his impressive performances in ODIs. He also said that Rohit Sharma knows how to guide young players.
“Gill has been given the vice-captaincy at the right time. He is the next superstar of Indian cricket and has performed incredibly well in ODIs. Rohit knows how to mentor youngsters and what value Shubman will bring,” the 38-year-old commented on the old .
Shubman Gill named vice-captain of Indian team for Champions Trophy
Shubman Gill has established himself as a key player in ODIs since his debut in 2019. The right-handed batsman has scored 2328 runs in 47 matches at an average of 58.20 and a strike rate of 101.74, including six centuries and 13 fifties.
Even after his poor performance in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Gill won the support of the captain and selectors by appointing him vice-captain for the Champions Trophy. With the 2027 World Cup the main focus and leadership transition, India are likely to identify a young captain for the future.
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