Team India Squad For ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Karun Nair:
On January 18 (Saturday), the Indian team for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and the home ODI series against England was announced. Notably missing from both teams were wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson and fast bowler Mohammed Siraj. Even Karun Nair, who has been in prolific form in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, was left disappointed. Much of the discussion has centered around Karun, who many expected to at least secure a spot in the ODI series against England.
Stunning Performance... Yet Disappointment for Karun
At 33, Karun Nair was hopeful of making a return to Team India. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had made it clear that playing domestic cricket was now crucial for team selection. According to this guideline, strong domestic performances were expected to enhance a player's chances of being included in the national team. However, that wasn't the case for Karun.
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Karun Nair showcased batting prowess in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 that will be remembered for years. In the tournament, he amassed 779 runs, with five centuries, averaging an astonishing 389.50 over eight innings, with scores of 112*, 44*, 163*, 111*, 112, 122*, 88*, and 27, being dismissed just twice. Under Karun's captaincy, the Vidarbha team reached the finals, only to be defeated by Karnataka. Despite the loss, Karun's remarkable performance earned him the 'Player of the Tournament' award.
Bhajji Raises Questions, Agarkar Comments
A question naturally rises when a player scores almost 390 runs on average in a domestic tournament but is not selected: what's the point of playing domestic cricket? Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh shares a similar sentiment, criticizing the selectors for overlooking Karun Nair. Harbhajan tweeted, 'Is there any value in playing domestic cricket if players are not selected based on their form and performance?'
During a press conference, chief selector Ajit Agarkar was also asked about Karun Nair. Agarkar acknowledged that while Karun's inclusion in the current team was difficult, his performance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy was indeed discussed. Agarkar stated, 'It was tough; Karun is performing exceptionally well and has had an extraordinary average in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. We talked about it, but at the moment, making space for him in this team is genuinely challenging. Look at the players selected; all have averages above 40. In a squad of 15, you can't include everyone. If a player is out of form or injured, he will definitely be considered.'
Source: aajtak
Karun's Triple Century, Then Dropped
In December 2016, Karun Nair burst onto the scene with a stunning triple century in Test cricket, leading England to 303* runs in Mohali. However, following this massive achievement, his form dropped in subsequent Test matches, resulting in him being axed from the team. Karun last played a Test match against Australia in March 2017 and has been out of the squad since. In his career, he has played 6 Test matches for India, scoring a total of 374 runs. He has also appeared in two ODIs, amassing a total of 46 runs.
India's 15-Member Squad for Champions Trophy:
Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill (Vice-Captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (Wicketkeeper), Rishabh Pant (Wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Yashaswi Jaiswal, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Washington Sundar.
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The Champions Trophy will Feature 15 Matches
The 2025 Champions Trophy will see a total of 15 matches played among 8 teams. Teams are divided into two groups. India and Pakistan share Group A with New Zealand and Bangladesh. Group B consists of South Africa, Australia, Afghanistan, and England. All 8 teams will play 3 matches within their group. Each group's top two teams will qualify for the semi-finals, with the first semi-final in Dubai and the second in Lahore, followed by the final matchup. Thus, a team reaching the final will play a total of 5 matches in the tournament.
All 15 Champions Trophy matches will be staged at 4 venues, with 3 located in Pakistan and one in Dubai. The Indian team will play all its matches in Dubai, and if they qualify for the final, it will also be held in Dubai. Otherwise, the title match will take place on March 9 in Lahore. A reserve day is also set aside for the semi-final and final matches. The first semi-final will be in Dubai, while the second semi-final will occur in Lahore, with 10 matches, including one semi-final staged across Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi venues in Pakistan.
Full Schedule of the Champions Trophy...
February 19 - Pakistan vs. New Zealand, Karachi February 20 - Bangladesh vs. India, Dubai February 21 - Afghanistan vs. South Africa, Karachi February 22 - Australia vs. England, Lahore February 23 - Pakistan vs. India, Dubai February 24 - Bangladesh vs. New Zealand, Rawalpindi February 25 - Australia vs. South Africa, Rawalpindi February 26 - Afghanistan vs. England, Lahore February 27 - Pakistan vs. Bangladesh, Rawalpindi February 28 - Afghanistan vs. Australia, Lahore March 1 - South Africa vs. England, Karachi March 2 - New Zealand vs. India, Dubai March 4 - Semi-Final 1, Dubai March 5 - Semi-Final 2, Lahore March 9 - Final, Lahore (Will be held in Dubai if India reaches the final) March 10 - Reserve Day
