File image of KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant.© AFP
While most of India's ICC Champions Trophy 2025 squad will be an easy choice, opinions remain divided among former cricketers, pundits and fans on a number of crucial areas. One of the controversial positions is the role of the wicketkeeper-batsman in Team India's line-up, with three top quality candidates for the role. KL Rahul has been the established wicketkeeper-batsman in ODIs for quite some time now, while Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson are also very much in the mix. Now, former Indian cricketers Sanjay Manjrekar and Sanjay Bangar have fueled the debate by omitting Pant from their 15-man squad for the Champions Trophy.
Pant did not return to competitive ODI cricket until 2024, when India toured Sri Lanka for a three-match series. However, neither Manjrekar nor Bangar were in favor of picking Pant.
“Pant was away from cricket for a long time. He made good returns in T20Is and Test but he never had that good form in ODI cricket. KL Rahul should be your first choice keeper,” said former Indian batting coach Bangar . , speaking on Star Sports, according to Hindustan Times.
Manjrekar batted for Sanju Samson's selection over Rishabh Pant as India's back-up wicketkeeper for the Champions Trophy.
“I have been a big supporter of Samson. Yes, he didn't score runs initially and maybe he doesn't fit in this order. But if India want a big hitter for the last ten overs, and I agree with Sanjay Bangar Pant,” said Manjrekar.
Pant played only one of the three matches in the ODI series against Sri Lanka. When he came to bat at number 4, he failed to impress and scored just six runs in nine balls.
On the other hand, Samson didn't help his cause either. Despite impressing in the T20Is, Samson was left out of Kerala's squad for India's 50-over domestic tournament, the Vijay Hazare Trophy, as he did not attend a camp with the squad.
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