Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has expressed strong disappointment with the Indian team management and selectors for overlooking Karun Nair in the Champions Trophy 2025 squad.

On Saturday, Indian captain Rohit Sharma and chief selector Ajit Agarkar announced the 15-man squad at a press conference held at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. However, Nair's name was absent, which sparked criticism from Harbhajan.

Nair, who had a sensational run in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25, scored a remarkable 779 runs in eight innings at an average of 389.50 and a strike rate of 124.04, hitting five hundreds. Despite this stellar form, Nair did not secure a spot in the Champions Trophy squad, nor was he included as a standby player.

Harbhajan took to his X account (formerly Twitter) to express his frustration, questioning the relevance of domestic cricket when performances like Nair’s go unrecognized.

"Is there a point playing domestic cricket when you don’t pick players based on form & performance?" Harbhajan tweeted.

He further elaborated on his YouTube channel, stating, "I was hopeful he would get selected. I know it's very difficult to decide whom to include and whom to keep out. But if you don't play Karun Nair ... I am not saying he should play right away, but he has scored runs and is in form. At least, he should have been in the team."

Harbhajan's remarks reflect his concern for India's domestic cricket system, emphasizing the importance of rewarding in-form players who excel in tournaments like the Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy. He believes that Nair should have at least been picked as a standby player to keep him motivated and in contention for future opportunities.

"What is the importance of Ranji Trophy (domestic cricket)? When an international player is not in form, you drop him and tell him to play Ranji Trophy and prove his form. But the ones who are doing well, you are not watching their performance.Karun Nair should have been picked as a standby. If needed, he could have been called up. It not needed, at least he would have been in the mix. It's high time you get him back in the system and give him confidence so that he can work even harder," he added.

As India prepares for the Champions Trophy 2025, where they will face teams like Pakistan, New Zealand, and Bangladesh in the group stages, the exclusion of a player in top form like Karun Nair continues to raise questions about the selection process.