Last Updated:
India have given preference to KL Rahul over Rishabh Pant as the team’s first-choice wicketkeeper-batter in ODIs.
KL Rahul (left) and Rishabh Pant (PTI Photo)
India‘s batting depth in white-ball cricket will be the envy of several teams. However, it also means that sometimes, a quality player ends up warming the benches given that only 11 players can take the field at a time. So is the case with wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant who last played an ODI in August 2024.
India have given preference to KL Rahul as their first-choice wicketkeeper-batter in ODIs despite him not being a specialist ‘keeper including in the recent three-match series against England at home and in the ongoing Champions Trophy. Given the talent Pant has at his disposal, it might seem unfair to him at times but legendary captain Sourav Ganguly feels that Rahul’s ‘fantastic numbers’ in ODIs are the main reasons why India head coach Gautam Gambhir is backing him.
In 31 ODIs so far, Pant has 871 runs at an average of 33.50 including a century and five fifties. He has 28 dismissals to his name (27 catches and a stumping). On the other hand, Rahul has 2944 runs from 81 ODIs at an average of 48.26. He has seven centuries, 18 half-centuries and has 65 dismissals as a wicketkeeper.
“India are such a strong side, especially in batting. Pant is very good. But Rahul has fantastic numbers in ODIs. So, I think that’s the reason Gautam Gambhir has backed Rahul,” Ganguly was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
“There’s very little to choose between them (Rahul and Pant) because both are exceptional,” he added.
Ganguly hailed India’s batting depth and pointed out how despite a little wobble during the chase of 229 against Bangladesh in their Champions Trophy opener, they had plenty of quality batters to see to the task.
“India have five Shubman Gills from one, two, three, four, five, six — who can all score hundreds and win matches. When Axar Patel bats at five for India, can you imagine the depth? Yesterday, India was in a spot of bother, but then they had KL Rahul coming in. They had Ravindra Jadeja, Hardik Pandya… There’s batting after batting,” he said.
Ganguly credited the ‘system’ India has setup in place behind their immense bench strength.
“India have a house of talent because of the systems we have and the way we play our cricket,” he said.
