Pant’s form deemed insufficient for selection
Former Indian cricketers Sanjay Manjrekar and Sanjay Bangar have sparked controversy by excluding Rishabh Pant from their ideal 15-member squad for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.
According to a report, despite Pant’s return to ODI cricket in 2024 during India’s series in Sri Lanka, his form was deemed insufficient for selection.
Both Manjrekar and Bangar advocated for KL Rahul as the first-choice wicketkeeper, with Bangar adding that Pant’s extended break from cricket and inconsistent ODI form played a role in the decision. Manjrekar, meanwhile, backed Sanju Samson as the back-up wicketkeeper, citing his potential for big hits in the final overs.
Pant’s lackluster performance in the ODI series against Sri Lanka, where he managed only six runs in one match, and Samson’s absence from Kerala’s squad for the Vijay Hazare Trophy have fueled the debate over India’s wicketkeeper options.
