Champions Trophy: ‘What’s the Use of Domestic Cricket?’ Bhajji Lashes Out at Selected Team, Aakash-Pathan Highlight India’s Weakness

The Indian squad for the Champions Trophy 2025 has been announced. The selectors have made minimal changes to the team that reached the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup. Most of the players remain the same. However, a lot has changed since then, but the selectors have once again placed their trust in their experienced players. Reactions from former cricketers and politicians are now emerging on the selected squad. Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, and Aakash Chopra have all shared their opinions. Harbhajan has questioned the relevance of domestic cricket, while Pathan and Aakash have highlighted the weaknesses in the squad.

Harbhajan Singh

Former cricketer Harbhajan Singh has criticized the selectors for not including Karun Nair. He took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) and wrote,

“When you don’t select players based on their form and performance, then what’s the point of playing domestic cricket? #KarunNair.”

Karun Nair was in excellent form during the recently concluded Vijay Hazare Trophy, scoring 779 runs, including five centuries, and remained not out six times.

Irfan Pathan

Irfan Pathan shared his views on X in four key points:

  1. The team could have included one more fast bowler, considering that some selected players have a history of injuries.
  2. Shubman Gill is on the right path for captaincy, having had an outstanding year in ODIs.
  3. Mohammed Siraj might have been excluded due to workload management, despite having strong ODI stats.
  4. If he were Sanju Samson, he would have been deeply disappointed. The selectors should have also considered Nitesh Kumar Reddy.

Aakash Chopra

Former opener Aakash Chopra also focused on bowling concerns in his analysis. On X, he pointed out the weak bowling attack, saying:

“Only three fast bowlers have been selected, two of whom have fitness concerns, while the third is not a regular ODI bowler for India. For a tournament in Dubai in late February or early March, I would have preferred Mohammed Siraj over a spin all-rounder.”

Also Read- Champions Trophy 2025: The Cost of Champions Trophy Tickets in Pakistan will Astonish You!

Yograj Singh

Yuvraj Singh’s father, Yograj Singh, has also commented on India’s Champions Trophy 2025 squad. He believes that the selection was done correctly and specifically praised Punjab players Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma. He called Shubman Gill the future captain of India and advocated for Abhishek Sharma’s inclusion in the team.

Shashi Tharoor

Following Sanju Samson’s exclusion from the Indian team, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor blamed the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA). He accused KCA of dropping Samson from the Vijay Hazare Trophy squad, which he believes ultimately led to his non-selection in the Indian team.

On X, Tharoor wrote:

“The tragic tale of Kerala Cricket Association and Sanju Samson. Samson had informed KCA in advance about his unavailability for a training camp between the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy. Yet, he was immediately dropped from Kerala’s squad. As a result, he has now been left out of the Indian team.”

Tharoor further added:

“A batsman with a highest score of 212* in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and an ODI average of 56.66 for India, including a century against South Africa, is now seeing his career ruined by cricket administrators’ egos. Doesn’t it bother KCA officials that by dropping Sanju, they ensured Kerala couldn’t even reach the Vijay Hazare Trophy quarterfinals? Where does this decision lead them?”

IPL 2024

Related articles

MI vs KKR Playing 11: KKR Aims to Continue Winning Streak, Mumbai Seeks First Victory; Will Narine Make a Comeback?

The IPL 2025 match between defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Mumbai Indians will be played on Monday. Looking at the head-to-head record,...

GT vs MI Playing 11: Gujarat and Mumbai Aim for First Win, Hardik Returns; Will Washington Get a Chance?

Mumbai Indians, the most successful team in IPL history, will face Gujarat Titans, led by Shubman Gill, in the 9th match of IPL 2025...

GT vs MI: Will Batters Dominate Again on Ahmedabad Pitch or Will Bowlers Bounce Back? Complete Pitch Report

In the ninth match of the 18th season of IPL, Shubman Gill-led Gujarat Titans will take on Mumbai Indians at their home ground. Hardik...

IPL 2025 CSK vs RCB Head to Head: How Has Bengaluru Performed at Chepauk? Check CSK vs RCB Head-to-Head Record Before the Big Clash

Royal Challengers Bengaluru started their IPL 2025 campaign with a victory against Kolkata Knight Riders. However, when they step onto the field at Chepauk...

CSK vs RCB Pitch Report: Will Spinners Dominate Again at Chepauk or Will Batters Rule? Know the Pitch Conditions

The eighth match of the Indian Premier League 2025 (IPL 2025) will be played on Friday at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. In...

RR vs KKR: KKR and Rajasthan Seeking First Win, These Could Be Their Final XIs

In the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) will face off in Guwahati on Wednesday. Both teams...

RR vs KKR Pitch Report: A Batting Paradise or a Bowler’s Nightmare? Know the Guwahati Barsapara Stadium Pitch Report

The sixth match of IPL 2025 will be played between Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Both teams, facing off at the...

GT vs PBKS Playing 11: Punjab Aims for a Winning Start with New Captain, Faces Tough Challenge from Gujarat

Punjab Kings will kick off their IPL 2025 campaign against Gujarat Titans. Both teams had an underwhelming season last year. While Gujarat Titans won...