As Indian cricket fans eagerly await the official squad announcement for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, former cricketers Sunil Gavaskar and Irfan Pathan have shared their preferred team selections. With the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) seeking an extension from the ICC to finalize the squad due to the uncertainty surrounding Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav’s availability, both Gavaskar and Pathan have made some notable omissions in their dream squads.

Sunil Gavaskar, India's batting legend, believes that Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul should be crucial picks for India's middle-order in the Champions Trophy. He also strongly backs Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson, pointing out their excellent performances in recent times. "KL Rahul had a fantastic 50-over World Cup, and Shreyas Iyer’s World Cup performances were impressive. I would back these two players," Gavaskar said. He further emphasized that Samson’s consistent centuries for India cannot be ignored.

Gavaskar's squad includes:

• Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Shubman Gill, Sanju Samson, Mohammed Siraj, and Nitish Kumar Reddy.

Irfan Pathan, on the other hand, also shared his picks, with a focus on Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav forming the spin-bowling duo, alongside pace bowlers Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah. Pathan believes that Bumrah and Shami should be the first-choice pacers, with Mohammed Siraj as the backup. He also mentioned Nitish Kumar Reddy's impressive form in Australia, which could be an asset in the squad.

Pathan's squad includes:

• Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Shubman Gill, Sanju Samson, Mohammed Siraj, Nitish Kumar Reddy.

Interestingly, both cricketers left out notable players such as Suryakumar Yadav, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, and Yuzvendra Chahal. With the official squad announcement expected on January 19, these selections have sparked plenty of discussion among fans and experts alike.