Aakash Chopra picks his Indian squad for Champions Trophy 2025; no room for Suryakumar Yadav and Sanja Samson
Aakash Chopraformer Indian cricketer and prominent commentator, has made headlines with his bold predictions regarding the Indian team for the upcoming Champions trophy. Scheduled to begin on February 19, 2025, this prestigious tournament marks a significant return after an eight-year hiatus.
Chopra’s choices have sparked debate, especially with the exclusion of notable players like Suryakumar Yadav and Sanju Samson.
The dismissals of Suryakumar Yadav and Sanju Samson
In a recent YouTube video, Chopra explained why he left out Suryakumar Yadav aka SKY. He noted that Suryakumar has not featured in One Day Internationals (ODIs) of late and has struggled to make an impact in Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25failing to achieve significant results.
“I feel that Suryakumar Yadav will not be a part of this team. He doesn’t really play ODIs and he didn’t even score in Vijay Hazare,” Chopra stated. Similarly, he pointed out that Sanju Samson has not played a single match with over 50 matches, which further diminishes his chances of selection.
A strong case for Shreyas Iyer and Hardik Pandya
However, Chopra is optimistic about the inclusion Shreyas Iyerwho he believes is in exceptional shape. “Suryakumar Yadav is not there but Shreyas Iyer is. Since the start of the World Cup, he has scored 620 runs in 15 innings, with two centuries, at a strike rate of 112 and an average of 52. Iyer is on fire,” Chopra emphasized, citing Iyer’s consistent performance as a key factor for his selection.
Another notable name in Chopra’s projected lineup is the all-rounder Hardik Pandya. Acknowledging Pandya’s recent performances in domestic cricket, Chopra asserted that Baroda’s presence is crucial to the team’s balance and depth.
“Hardik Pandya has to be in the team, there’s no doubt about that. He plays Vijay Hazare and he also played Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He played a lot of cricket because it was a question of him not playing,” he noticed.
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The context of the Champions Trophy 2025
The Champions Trophy holds immense significance for India, especially after their failure to reach the final stage of the ICC Test World Cup 2025. The Indian team management is under pressure to review their strategy and performance after a string of poor results, including their recent tour to Australia where they faced with strong competition. The tournament will pit India against other top cricketing nations and the selectors are expected to finalize their squad soon. The deadline to confirm provisional squads is January 12, allowing teams some flexibility until February 13 to make adjustments.
Aakash Chopra Prediction of India Squad for Champions Trophy 2025
Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh
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