Sanju Samson or Rishabh Pant for ICC Champions Trophy 2025? Former Indian cricket legends share their perspectives

New Delhi: The selection of India’s 2025 ICC Champions Trophy team may seem quite straightforward in most positions, but there are certain key positions that continue to spark debate among ex-players, experts, and fans. The position of wicket-keeper batter is one such area of contention, with three top contenders vying for the role. KL Rahul has been the preferred wicket-keeper batter for India in ODIs for a significant period, but Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson are also strong contenders for the position. This has led to criticism from former cricketers Sanjay Manjrekar and Sanjay Bangar, who questioned the decision to initially include Pant in the 15-member squad for the tournament, only to later remove him.

Rishabh Pant made a comeback to competitive ODI cricket in 2024 in India’s three-match series against Sri Lanka. Even after returning, Sanjay Manjrekar and Sanjay Bangar were not keen on having Pant in their 15-member squad for the ICC Champions Trophy.

“Pant was away from cricket for a long time. He did make a good return in T20Is and Test, but he never had that good form in ODI cricket. KL Rahul should be your first-choice keeper,” said former India batting coach Bangar, speaking on Star Sports, according to Hindustan Times.

Sanjay Manjrekar advocated for the inclusion of Sanju Samson over Rishabh Pant as India’s backup wicket-keeper for the ICC Champions Trophy, emphasizing Samson’s suitability for the role.

“I have been a good believer in Samson. Yes he wasn’t scoring runs initially and maybe he isn’t a fit down the order. But if India want a big hitter for the last 10 overs, and I agree with Sanjay Bangar on Pant,” said Manjrekar.

Rishabh Pant played only one of the three ODIs against Sri Lanka. Batting at No. 4, he could not make much of an impact and scored just six runs off nine deliveries.

Meanwhile, there is no improvement for Sanju Samson either. While he showed promise in T20Is, he was overlooked for Kerala’s Vijay Hazare Trophy squad, India’s premier 50-over domestic tournament, as he didn’t report to a preparatory camp with the team.