India named a star-studded squad led by Rohit Sharma for the 2025 Champions Trophy, which will take place from February 19 to March 9 in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). While India kept the core of the squad that set the stage on fire in the 2023 World Cup, some selection calls have triggered a debate among the cricket fraternity.

Such is the quality depth in India for white-ball cricket that the Men in Blue can field a completely different squad and still stand a chance to win the tournament. Some of the finest players in the country, who have impressed for the national team in the past and in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as well as domestic cricket, found a place.

Openers - Ruturaj Gaikwad has played only 6 ODIs for India so far in his career but his average of 58.16 is the second best in List A cricket for a player with more than 2000 runs around the world. Last year, Sai Sudharsan made his ODI debut and became only the second Indian to history to score half-centuries in his first two innings in the format.

Middle Order - It was not long ago that Ishan Kishan scored a double hundred in ODI cricket and was part of India's 2023 World Cup squad before his exile. The 26-year-old offers verstality as he is a wicket-keeper batter, who can open and play in the middle order. Sanju Samson will find himself unlucky to be not part of the 2025 Champions Trophy squad after scoring a century in his last ODI squad. With his sucess as Rajasthan Royals skipper, he is an ideal captaincy fir for the team too. Tilak Verma nearly found himself in the 2023 World Cup squad and his T20I success has showed, why he is seen as a future star of the batting unit.

While Karun Nair had a record-breaking VIjay Hazare Trophy, the 33-year-old has played only just two ODIs for India with the last being in 2017. Suryakumar Yadav is India's T20I captain but he has been out of the scheme of things since the 2023 World Cup.

All-Rounders - Nitish Kumar Reddy has impressed in both T20I and Test cricket post his debut last year and is emerging has a handy alternative to Hardik Pandya as the pace-bowling all-rounder. The team management has shown trust in Riyan Parag before his injury as the Assamese star is not just a aggresive middle-order batter but also a more than handy off-spinner.

Bowlers - While Ravi Bishnoi and Varun Chakarvarthy have impressed in T20I cricket, the duo has played one ODI combined in their careers. For the 50-over format, Yuzvendra Chahal still remains a viable option despite not playing for India in the format for two years. He was part of the squad for the tour of South Africa last year.

Mohammed Siraj's exclusion from the team came as a big surprise despite his exceptional record in ODIs. Prasidh Krishna has proven himself in the format in the past and replaced Hardik Pandya in the 2023 World Cup squad. Harshit Rana is clearly someone who has the backing of the team management, having made the squad for the England ODI series.

India Best ODI XI Of Players Not Part Of Champions Trophy Squad: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sai Sudharsan, Ishan Kishan (WK), Sanju Samson (C), Tilak Verma, Riyan Parag, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal

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