"How many 35-year-olds can you have in the team?" - Former India cricketer slams decision to not pick Karun Nair in 2025 Champions Trophy squad

Former India cricketer Surinder Khanna has questioned the decision to not pick in-form Vidarbha batter Karun Nair in the 2025 Champions Trophy squad. Khanna opined that the Men in Blue need fresh legs for one-dayers and cannot have too many players who are on the wrong side of 30s.

Team India's squad for the 2025 Champions Trophy, to be played from February 19 to March 9, was named on Saturday, January 18. While Rohit Sharma was retained as captain, Shubman Gill was named vice-captain. Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant have retained their places in the ODI squad, but there was no place for Nair, who had a stupendous Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign.

The right-handed batter finished as the leading run-getter in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, clobbering 779 runs in eight innings at an average of 389.50 and a strike rate of 124.04. The Vidarbha batter hammered as many as five hundreds in the domestic one-day tournament. Questioning Nair's exclusion despite his stellar performance, Khanna told ANI:

"I think Karun Nair is a bit unlucky. I wish I was the chairman of selectors. He hit 300 in a Test match, and after that he disappeared. Now suddenly the moon has come out again, so that moon should shine for 2-3 years and how many 35, 36-year-olds can you have in the team? It's a one-day format, you require quick movers in the field."

Looking at India's squad for the 2025 Champions Trophy, Rohit is 37, while Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja are both 36 years old. Further, pacer Mohammed Shami is 34, Rahul is 32, while Bumrah and Hardik Pandya are both 31. Incidentally, Nair, who was not picked, himself is 33.

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"It was tough" - Ajit Agarkar on decision on leave Karun Nair out of Champions Trophy 2025 squad

Speaking at a press conference after naming Team India's 15-man squad for the 2025 Champions Trophy, Chairman of Selectors Ajit Agarkar admitted that it was tough decision to leave Nair out.

While praising the in-form batter, the former India pacer explained why they couldn't fit him into the 15-member squad. Agarkar said:

"Yeah, it was tough. Those are really special performances. Someone who averages 700-plus. We did have a chat. At the moment, finding a spot in the squad in this team is really difficult. Look at the guys who have been picked. All average well in excess of mid-40s. Unfortunately, you can't fit everyone in a squad of 15.

"But those performances certainly make you take notice. If there is a loss of form (for a player) or injuries, there's certainly going to be a conversation around him," he went on to add.

In six Tests, Nair has scored 374 runs at an average of 62.33, with a best of 303*. In two ODIs, he has scored 46 runs, with a best of 39.