Suryakumar Yadav says it hurts to be omitted from Champions Trophy squad, backs Sanju Samson ahead of England T20I series

India’s T20I captain, Suryakumar Yadav, addressed the media ahead of the first T20I against England in Kolkata, candidly discussing his omission from India’s Champions Trophy squad and expressing confidence in wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson’s position in the team.

Suryakumar Yadav was one of the notable omissions from India’s 15-player squad for the Champions Trophy, set to begin on February 19. Reflecting on his exclusion, the 34-year-old admitted his underwhelming performances in List A cricket were to blame.

“Why will it hurt? If I did well, I would have been in the Champions Trophy squad. I have not done well, so I need to accept it,” Suryakumar said during the press conference. “The squad looks good. All players are solid performers. I am happy for them, but it hurts that I haven’t done well.”

Suryakumar’s recent performances in domestic cricket, including just 38 runs in five Vijay Hazare Trophy appearances for Mumbai, highlighted his struggles. His last ODI appearance came during India’s defeat to Australia in the 2023 ODI World Cup final in Ahmedabad.

The Champions Trophy, hosted under a hybrid model in Pakistan and the UAE, will see India play their matches in Dubai. Rohit Sharma will lead the side, with Shubman Gill serving as vice-captain. The eight-team tournament runs from February 19 to March 9 and includes 15 matches across Pakistan and Dubai.

Turning to India’s preparations for the T20I series against England and beyond, Suryakumar threw his full support behind Sanju Samson as the team’s preferred wicketkeeper-batter.

“There is no question mark on the wicketkeeper. Sanju has done really well in the last seven-eight games. He has shown what he is capable of,” Suryakumar stated, emphasizing Samson’s consistent performances.

Samson’s resurgence in T20Is has been remarkable. In 13 matches last year, he amassed 436 runs at an average of 43.60 and a strike rate of over 180, including three centuries and a fifty. His standout performances include an explosive ton against Bangladesh and two centuries in South Africa. Across formats, Samson has scored 544 runs in his last 13 innings at an average of 49.45, striking at 152.45 with four centuries and a highest score of 111.

Suryakumar praised Samson’s ability to seize opportunities, stating, “That is what we want from all the players. He has got the opportunity and has really made use of it. I am really happy for him.”

The T20I series against England marks the beginning of India’s roadmap toward next year’s T20 World Cup. With Suryakumar leading the side, and players like Samson delivering consistently, India is looking to build a robust squad for future challenges.

India squad for the T20I series against England: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel (vc), Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammad Shami, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel (wk).

India squad for ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja.