Suryakumar Yadav 'not hurt' by Champions Trophy snub, explains reason

Flamboyant batter Suryakumar Yadav explained that he is not hurt after being left out of the Champions Trophy 2025 squad. The Mumbai-born explained that deserving cricketers were picked who did well internationally and in domestic cricket.

Suryakumar Yadav and Mohammed Siraj are the two players who featured in the ODI World Cup 2023 final but failed to retain their spot for the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025, starting February 19. The flamboyant India batter has been terrific in the shortest format but hasn’t played any single ODI game since the summit clash. He hasn’t been in the scheme of things as well, as chief selector Ajit Agarkar previously stated.

Ahead of the first T20I against England at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, T20I captain Suryakumar revealed that he wasn’t hurt by BCCI’s decision to not include him in the Champions Trophy squad. The Mumbai-born explained that he hadn’t done enough to get into the 15-member squad and was happy with the team selection. He also added that deserving cricketers got into the team and he wasn’t one of them.

“Why would it hurt? If I do well, I would have been in the Champions Trophy. If I don't do well, it's important to accept that. And at the same time, if you see the (CT) squad, it's looking really good. Whoever is there, they are all good performers. They have done relatively well in that format for India and also playing domestic cricket and I am very happy for them,” Suryakumar said in the press conference.

“It hurts to think that I have not done well. And if I had done well, I would have stayed there. If I haven't done well, someone who deserves to have done really well, deserves to be there,” he added.

India haven’t lost any T20I series under Suryakumar’s leadership. He took over the baton after Rohit Sharma retired from the shortest format and since then, the Men in Blue won series against Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and South Africa. They will next challenge England in a five-match series, starting January 22 at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. It is expected to be Suryakumar’s biggest test as a leader.