Champions Trophy 2025: 5 Players who might not play a single match

The 2025 edition of the Champions Trophy will be played across venues in Pakistan and the UAE (United Arab Emirates). The marquee ODI tournament is slated to get underway on February 19. There has been a great deal of hype surrounding the tournament, which will be returning after a protracted hiatus of almost eight years. 

The previous ICC tournament was the T20 World Cup, spanning June of last year. By the time the Champions Trophy commences, a total of 503 international games have been played across formats. Most of these games have seen many cricketers rising to the occasion, cementing their position in the 15-member squads for the Champions Trophy.

5 players who might not play a single match in CT 2025:

5. Parvez Hossain Emon

Parvez Hossain Emon is yet to make his ODI debut. He has only played a total of seven T20Is so far. His numbers have been nothing to boast about. There are already a couple of other wicketkeeper-batters in Bangladesh's Champions Trophy squad other than Emon.

Jaker Ali will most probably be the first-choice wicketkeeper. Mushfiqur Rahim, to be otherwise playing as a specialist batter, has all the experience in the world to be the person behind the stumps, considering an injury to Jaker.

4. Mohammad Hasnain

Pakistan are expected to go ahead with Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Naseem Shah as a part of their three-pronged pace attack. Consequently, this could mean Mohammad Hasnain did not get a chance to showcase himself on the grand stage. 

Hasnain last played an ODI in December 2024. He was on the bench for the ongoing Tri-Nation Series opener against New Zealand. The speedster was not considered even after Haris Rauf's injury, with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announcing the injured Rauf's replacement as Akif Javed. 

3. Ben Sears

Ben Sears made his ODI debut only recently during the aforementioned tri-series. The right-arm medium pacer's performance in New Zealand's games against Pakistan and South Africa, respectively, has been quite underwhelming. Despite his side winning both the games in convincing style, Sears going wicketless in the 16 overs bowled over the games left much to be desired.

It is highly unlikely that Sears would be exposed to an occasion as significant as the Champions Trophy this early into his international career. There is no doubt that Sears possesses a serious pace. However, the conditions presented in Pakistan and the UAE are poised to necessitate far more.

Also Check- Champions Trophy 2025: X-Factor players of each team

2. Tristan Stubbs

Although a supremely talented player, Tristan Stubbs might not slot into South Africa's packed middle-order. The Proteas squad has enough and more players in their roster, with there being a clear abundance of all-rounders. South Africa's batting is pretty much stacked till the No. 5 position.

Two amongst Corbin Bosch, Marco Jansen, and Wiaan Mulder will most certainly feature in the squad, leaving no vacancy for Stubbs. Moreover, Stubbs is not even a part of the Proteas' squad for the ongoing tri-series involving New Zealand and Pakistan.  

1. Washington Sundar

The relative inexperience in comparison to other spin-bowling all-rounders might just see Washington Sundar not being considered in the XI for any of India's matches. Notably, in the past, it has been seen that Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel have been the preferred combination for team management. Jadeja and Axar possessing superior prowess with the bat force their case further.  

Sundar's bowling could technically be compared more with the bowling style of Kuldeep Yadav. It would be highly improbable that a specialist wrist-spinner like Kuldeep makes way for Sundar, just because of the latter's abilities with the bat. One additional aspect which works against Sundar is the number of appearances in the ongoing white-ball series against England. Out of the seven white-ball games played so far, he has played in just two of them.

Also Check: Five best Champions Trophy matches