Suryakumar, Siraj react to their omission from Champions Trophy squad
What's the story
India's T20I captain, Suryakumar Yadav, has accepted his exclusion from the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 squad.
The batter acknowledged his ODI underperformance and stated that he was not hurt by the decision.
Meanwhile, star pacer Mohammed Siraj reacted to his omission with a witty Instagram story titled "Reset, Restart, Refocus," signaling his determination to bounce back from the setback and that he is already working towards it.
Acceptance
Yadav's response to Champions Trophy exclusion
Speaking to reporters on being left out of the Champions Trophy squad, Yadav said, "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."
Moreover, he added he has faith in the current squad and appreciated their performance at home and overseas.
Additionally, SKY is currently in the hot seat as India are set to host England in a five-match T20I series starting Wednesday.
Career review
Yadav's ODI performance and future prospects
Yadav's last ODI appearance was the 2023 ICC World Cup final in Ahmedabad, where he scored a paltry 18 runs off 28 balls.
meanwhile, his ODI record reads 773 runs from 37 ODIs, averaging just over 25.
Despite his stellar T20I record of four centuries and having scored over 2,500 runs, Yadav has failed to replicate the same in the longer format owing to his high-risk playing style and inconsistent batting position.
Support
Raina's support for Yadav and future T20I leadership
Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina has also backed Yadav, saying he could have been an X-factor in the team had he been picked in the 15-member Champions Trophy squad.
Despite being dropped from the ODI squad, Yadav will continue to lead India in the upcoming five-match T20I series against England.
Response
Siraj's witty response to Champions Trophy snub
The pacer's snub from the 15-member squad raised questions among cricket analysts and fans alike, given Siraj's stellar performance in the 50-over format.
However, Siraj's recent Instagram story suggests that the star has positively accepted the snub and is determined to make it back to the squad even stronger and better.
The 30-year-old pacer's Instagram story titled "Reset, Restart, Refocus" suggested that the bowler was already back to the grind to regain his place in the national team.
ODI career
Recap of Siraj's ODI career in numbers
The right-arm pacer has featured in 44 ODIs and has 71 scalps to his name at an average of 24.04.
Additionally, he also owns two four-wicket hauls and one five-wicket haul with an economy of 5.18.
Moreover, he has also bowled 32 maidens and boasts the best figures of 6/21 vs Sri Lanka.
Notably, Siraj also owns the most scalps by an Indian bowler since 2023 with 47 of them.