ICC Champions Trophy 2025: 'England are strict' - Jason Roy breaks silence on his snub

Out-of-favor England opener Jason Roy spoke about not being considered for the national team for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, set to be played in Pakistan and Dubai. Jason Roy said that selectors are prioritizing younger players, which has been hard for him to accept, though he respects the decision.

Roy was one of the most instrumental players in England's white-ball reset after the 2015 World Cup failure. He played a pivotal role in their 2019 ODI World Cup win, scoring 443 runs at an average of 63.28 and a strike rate of 115.36, including a century. However, he hasn't represented England since 2023.

I Would Love to Still Be There - Jason Roy

Jason Roy shared that he doesn't regret not being part of England's 2025 Champions Trophy plans, but added that he can still perform at the highest level, especially in 50-over cricket. Roy admitted it's been tough to accept and compared it to heartbreak.

"There is no regret. This is not my decision. I would love to still be there. In my head, obviously I feel I can still perform incredibly well at that level, especially in the 50-over stuff. But they are strict about picking younger players and that's completely fair," Roy told The Daily Star.

"So it's been difficult to take. Obviously, the last few years have been hard to get over. It's a bit of a heartbreak you know, like losing a nice girlfriend or something like that. It's been tough to get over the heartbreak but I'm really enjoying my lifestyle now," he added.

The South Africa-born cricketer has an impressive ODI record with 4271 runs in 116 games at an average of 39.91, including 12 centuries. However, his recent form has been lacking, scoring only 195 runs in 8 matches for the Trinbago Knight Riders in the 2024 CPL and just 19 runs in two BPL games.

I Have No Idea What's Going On - Jason Roy

When asked about the winners of the upcoming Champions Trophy, Jason Roy backed England to win. However, he was uncertain, noting the presence of several strong teams with exceptional players. He emphasized that if the teams performed well, it would make for a great tournament.

"England win and that's easy (laughs). Who knows? Actually I have no idea what's going on. There are lots of international teams playing incredible cricket. It's hard for me to put finger on a team as all teams have some incredible players. So if they can fire, it's going to be a great tournament," Roy said in the same interview.

England Set To Start Their Campaign on February 22 vs Australia in Lahore

England is grouped with South Africa, Afghanistan, and Australia. England will start their campaign on February 22 against Australia in Lahore. They will then face Afghanistan on February 26 in Lahore, before finishing their group stage with a match against South Africa on March 1 in Karachi.

England has never won the ICC Champions Trophy, despite coming close twice. They were runners-up in 2004, losing to the West Indies by two wickets in the final at The Oval. The England national cricket team then lost to India by five runs in a rain-affected final during the 2013 Champions Trophy.

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