Rishabh Pant outshines Sanju Samson at ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Analyzing the downfall of the Kerala wicketkeeper-batsman with a 50-plus average

New Delhi: Sanju Samson's exclusion from the ICC Champions Trophy squad raised eyebrows among fans as selectors opted for Rishabh Pant as the primary wicketkeeper-batter. Amidst ongoing debates among fans, let's analyze the ODI statistics of Pant and Samson to understand the selectors' decision better.

Sanju Samson was snubbed from the India squad for the ICC Champions Trophy as the selectors opted for Rishabh Pant instead. This decision has sparked a debate among fans about whether Pant’s selection was the right call. While Pant has been India’s first-choice wicketkeeper in Tests, his white-ball experience, especially in ODIs, has been limited, with just one ODI appearance since 2022. Samson’s exclusion has raised questions, as many feel his consistent performances in limited-overs cricket make him a worthy contender for the spot.

Sanju Samson, on the other hand, has been in exceptional form for India in the shorter formats. He scored two centuries in the recent T20I series against South Africa and also registered a hundred in the preceding T20I series against Bangladesh. Despite his impressive performances, he hasn’t been given a consistent run in ODIs, having played only 16 matches since his debut in 2021. Most of his opportunities came when senior players were rested, but Samson made the most of those chances, showcasing his talent and reliability as a wicketkeeper-batter.

In his 16 ODIs, Sanju Samson boasts an impressive average of 56.7, amassing 510 runs, including three fifties and a century. In contrast, Rishabh Pant, with 31 ODI appearances, averages 33.5, scoring 871 runs, which includes a century and five fifties. Pant’s most recent century came in his last ODI in December 2023, during India’s tour of South Africa. Samson’s stellar performances, especially during the South Africa tour, led many to believe he would finally secure a permanent spot in the white-ball team. However, despite his strong showing, the selectors opted to go with Pant, leaving Samson’s future in limited-overs cricket uncertain.

For Sanju Samson’s fans, the snub feels particularly harsh, especially given his superior ODI numbers compared to Rishabh Pant. Samson’s statistics certainly make a strong case for his inclusion, but there is another factor at play—Pant’s batting position. Pant typically bats in the middle or lower middle order, and his versatility as a floater adds value to the team. In contrast, Samson is mainly a top-order batter, and with established players like Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer already in the mix, it would have been difficult for him to secure a spot in the playing XI.

India Squad for ICC Champions Trophy 2025:
Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, and Ravindra Jadeja.