ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Not Sanju Samson or Karun Nair! Suresh Raina attacks BCCI for 'X-factor' batter's snub

Former India batter Suresh Raina feels that selectors missed a trick by not including an aggressive batter in the squad for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Suresh Raina said that Suryakumar Yadav should have been included in the 15-member Champions Trophy squad, describing him as an X-factor.

On Saturday, January 18, chief selector Ajit Agarkar announced India's squad. Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul were picked as middle-order batters, with Rishabh Pant included as the wicketkeeper-batter. Suryakumar, who was part of the ODI World Cup 2023 squad, was not included in the Champions Trophy squad.

Suryakumar Yadav Was an Integral Part of the World Cup Squad - Suresh Raina

Speaking on Star Sports Press Room, Suresh Raina disagreed with the Indian selectors' decision to omit Suryakumar Yadav from the Champions Trophy squad. Raina highlighted that Suryakumar brings a unique "360-degree" playing style and is capable of scoring quickly at any stage of the game.

"Surya was an integral part of the World Cup squad. He is a 360 player who can score at 9 runs per over at any stage of the game. He can dominate the opposition and bats in a different way," he said (as quoted by news agency PTI).

"If Surya was there, there would have been an X-factor; he will be missed. The responsibility will be now on the top three who are not in form. Surya is someone who can bat in any position," Raina added.

Suryakumar Yadav has been exceptional in T20Is, but his performance in ODIs has been less impressive despite multiple opportunities. The 34-year-old batter has played 37 ODIs, scoring 773 runs with an average of 25.76 and a strike rate of 105.02, including only four half-centuries.

Shubman Gill Got the Vice-Captaincy at the Right Time - Suresh Raina

Suresh Raina expressed support for the decision to name Shubman Gill as vice-captain of the Indian team. Raina heaped praise on Gill, calling him the "next superstar" of Indian cricket due to his impressive performances in ODIs. He also said that Rohit Sharma knows how to guide young players.

"Gill got the vice-captaincy at the right time. He is the next superstar of India cricket, and has done remarkably well in ODIs. Rohit knows how to mentor a youngster and what value Shubman will bring in," the 38-year-old commented.

Shubman Gill Named Vice-Captain of the Indian Team for Champions Trophy

Shubman Gill has established himself as a key player in ODIs since his debut in 2019. The right-handed batter has scored 2,328 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 was backed by the captain and selectors by naming him vice-captain for the Champions Trophy. With the 2027 World Cup being a major focus and a transition in leadership, India is likely to identify a young captain for the future.

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