'Totally finished, file closed': BCCI, team management blamed for ending India star's career with Champions Trophy snub

As the debate over India's 2025 Champions Trophy selection heats up, former cricketer and current analyst Aakash Chopra has highlighted the perplexing situation of leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal. Chopra voiced concern that Chahal's career may have been cut short by the BCCI and team management without a clear rationale, especially given Chahal's good statistics despite being pulled from ODIs over two years earlier. Chahal has recently made headlines owing to reports of his separation from wife Dhanashree Verma and absence from the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024/25.

In a discussion on his YouTube channel, Chopra emphasised that Yuzvendra Chahal had been consistently removed from India's ODI team for a long time, despite not having performed poorly. This choice has aroused questions and worries among fans and analysts, since Chahal's ability and potential appear to be continually overlooked.

"Yuzvendra Chahal has been totally finished. His file has been closed. I have got no idea why they did that," said Chopra.

"It is an interesting case. He last played in January 2023. So it's been two years for him. His numbers are also very good. He has picked up a lot of wickets and was consistently doing well," he added.

Chahal has 121 wickets in only 72 ODIs for India, although he has not appeared for the national squad in any format since August 2023. The wrist spinner skipped the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024/25, and Chopra stated that his two-year absence meant he was never considered for the Champions Trophy 2025 team.

"Because it's been two years since it (Chahal's file) has been closed, there is no place for Yuzi also here because as soon as you suddenly pick him out of the blue, it will be seen as a regressive step," Chopra concluded.

India looks to have settled on Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja as the dominant spinners for ODIs, with the two collaborating throughout the 2023 ODI World Cup. Furthermore, Axar's strong all-round performances in the successful T20 World Cup in 2024 have raised his position among India's spinners, and his flexibility and fielding abilities have made him a preferred pick over Chahal in recent months.

Washington Sundar, a fourth spinner and all-rounder, was an unexpected addition to India's squad. However, many feel his inclusion was at the cost of pacer Mohammed Siraj, rather than providing an alternate spin option.

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