ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Yuzvendra Chahal and other big Indian names that won't be picked

With the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 just a little over a month away, we look at some Indian players who may not be picked in the tournament:

Yuzvendra Chahal

Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has been part of multiple T20 World Cup squads but has never made it to the XI. That was the case in the 2024 edition as well as India went on to lift the trophy. Chahal last played for India in August 2023, and it will be nearly two years since his last ODI appearance. Since then, Kuldeep Yadav has been India's frontline bowler, with either one or two of Axar Patel, Washington Sundar or Ravindra Jadeja.

That has left the 34-year-old out in the cold, including being axed by Haryana in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, and his chances of making a comeback in blue seems bleak at best.

Shardul Thakur

Shardul Thakur has had his moments with both bat and ball across formats. However, with Hardik Pandya fully fit and Nitish Kumar Reddy making a strong case, the Mumbai all-rounder has certainly fallen down the pecking order. Thakur has not featured in white-ball cricket for India since the ODI World Cup match against Bangladesh in 2023. 

India has focused on grooming and adding to its spin bowling all-rounders in this period, leaving no room for Thakur or any other seam bowling all-rounders. Thakur's ODI economy of 6.22 and an average of 31 do not work in his favour, either.

Ishan Kishan

One of three ODI double centurions for India, Ishan Kishan, has been out of contention ever since he was granted a break and focussed more on IPL preparations ahead of playing for his domestic side. As a result, he was not given a BCCI central contract, and his international career came to a screeching halt.

Still 26, Kishan has plenty of time to make a comeback into the Indian side, but it may not be for the Champions Trophy. With KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson in the fray, it makes it all the more difficult for Kishan to make a comeback despite having a decent Vijay Hazare Trophy (316 runs @ 45.14, SR 127.93).

Mohammed Shami

India missed Mohammed Shami badly in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, but the good news is that he has played plenty of competitive domestic matches lately. The pacer has not featured for India since the World Cup final in 2023, but since then has undergone successful Achilles tendon surgery and is well on course for an India call-up.

However, the team management could be wary of having Shami back into international cricket in such a big tournament without any game time. He has played just a couple of 50-over matches for Bengal recently and is improving with every match. But India should tread lightly with him to ensure that his injury does not resurface.

Suryakumar Yadav

Like Shami, Suryakumar Yadav too last played for India in the World Cup final in 202. He has failed to grab his opportunities in the 50-over format. He was given ample chances, especially in 2023, where he scored just 389 runs at 21.61. He has since been dropped from ODIs but is leading the T20I side after Rohit Sharma's retirement.

India have played just six ODIS since the 2023 World Cup - all without Surya - for whom a return to the side in the format does not seem to be on the cards. More so, with plenty of young batters like Sai Sudharsan, Tilak Varma, and Riyan Parag, among others, proving to be more useful.