Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra has opened up on selectors picking Rishabh Pant ahead of Sanju Samson in the Champions Trophy squad. Chopra noted that Pant has been given the edge over Samson as he is a generational talent.
The renowned commentator highlighted that both Pant and Samson would not make it to the team’s playing XI as KL Rahul will be India’s first-choice wicket-keeper.
Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel, “A generational talent has been picked but Sanju Samson hasn’t been picked. Rishabh Pant has been kept as a backup keeper. There was a question for sure between Sanju Samson and Rishabh Pant. Whoever had been selected, would sit out.”
Chopra noted that Samson’s exclusion opened a huge debate on X as the Kerala batter has a lot of fans.
“However, it’s a message and a statement about what you want you want do, in which direction you want to go, do you want to go with Sanju or else you want to back Rishabh Pant? There is a huge debate on X because Sanju has a lot of supporters. People love him a lot,” he observed.
The reputed commentated observed how Sanju Samson has grabbed his chance as an opener in T20Is.
“At times, you need to take a call. When the call was taken that Sanju would be made to open in T20Is, his T20I average was 19. However, someone said that potential was important, form would come, and let’s try by making him open. He made runs there and is now a permanent member of the team,” he said.
On the other hand, Chopra lauded Rishabh Pant for playing a key role in India’s success in the red-ball version while playing in overseas conditions.
“Rishabh Pant is a generational talent as he has done at 25 years of age what India’s greatest wicketkeeper-batters weren’t able to do in their entire careers. He has gone to England, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand and scored runs. He is not yet fully established in white-ball cricket but I would want to give him more chances. I want to keep him in the loop. So I am not at all surprised,” Chopra elaborated.
India will begin their Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh in Dubai on February 20.
