Aakash Chopra, the former Indian cricketer and prominent commentator, has made headlines with his bold predictions regarding India’s squad for the upcoming Champions Trophy. Scheduled to commence on February 19, 2025, this prestigious tournament marks a significant return after an eight-year hiatus.
Chopra’s selections have stirred discussions, particularly with the exclusion of notable players like Suryakumar Yadav and Sanju Samson.
Exclusions of Suryakumar Yadav and Sanju Samson
In a recent YouTube video, Chopra explained his rationale for leaving out Suryakumar Yadav, commonly known as SKY. He noted that Suryakumar has not participated in One Day Internationals (ODIs) recently and has struggled to make an impact in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25, failing to score significant runs.
“I feel Suryakumar Yadav won’t be a part of this team. He is actually not playing ODIs and hasn’t scored runs in Vijay Hazare as well,” Chopra stated. Similarly, he pointed out that Sanju Samson has not played any 50-over matches, further diminishing his chances of selection.
The strong case of Shreyas Iyer and Hardik Pandya
However, Chopra is optimistic about the inclusion of Shreyas Iyer, who he believes is in exceptional form. “Suryakumar Yadav isn’t 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, highlighting Iyer’s consistent performance as a key factor for his selection.
Another significant name in Chopra’s predicted squad is of all-rounder Hardik Pandya. Acknowledging Pandya’s recent performances in domestic cricket, Chopra asserted that the Baroda-lad’s presence is crucial for the team’s balance and depth.
“Hardik Pandya has to be in the team, there is no doubt about that. He is playing the Vijay Hazare and played the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy as well. He has played a lot of cricket because the question was that he doesn’t play,” he remarked.
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Context of the Champions Trophy 2025
The Champions Trophy holds immense significance for India, especially after their failure to reach the final stages of the ICC World Test Championship 2025. The Indian team management is under pressure to reassess their strategy and performance after a series of underwhelming results, including their recent tour to Australia where they faced tough competition. The tournament will see India competing against other top cricketing nations, and the selectors are expected to finalize their squad shortly. The deadline for confirming provisional squads is set for January 12, allowing teams some flexibility until February 13 to make adjustments.
Aakash Chopra’s 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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