"A generational talent has been picked but Sanju Samson hasn't been picked" - Aakash Chopra on Rishabh Pant's selection in 2025 Champions Trophy squad

Former player Aakash Chopra has reckoned that Rishabh Pant has been picked ahead of Sanju Samson in India's 2025 Champions Trophy squad because the former is a 'generational talent.' However, he opined that whoever between them had been selected wouldn't have made it to the playing XI.

The Champions Trophy will be played in Pakistan and Dubai from February 19 onwards. The selectors recently picked the Men in Blue's 15-member squad for the tournament, with KL Rahul and Pant being the two wicketkeeper-batters.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the cricketer-turned-commentator reflected on India's Champions Trophy squad. As for Pant being picked ahead of Samson, he said (0:10):

"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 added that Pant's selection ahead of Samson reflects the selectors' thought process.

"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.

Aakash Chopra noted that Rishabh Pant potentially does not have as many supporters as Sanju Samson. He pointed out that the selectors aren't abused as much on social media when Pant is dropped than when Samson isn't selected.

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"At times, you need to take a call" - Aakash Chopra on choosing between Sanju Samson and Rishabh Pant

Sanju Samson has excelled as a T20I opener lately. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra pointed out that the selectors needed to consider a player's potential at times, which happened when Sanju Samson was made to open 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 (3:35).

The former India opener added that Rishabh Pant, who has proved his talent in Tests, needed to be given similar chances in white-ball cricket.

"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.

Pant has a slightly below-par ODI record, aggregating 871 runs at an average of 33.50 in 27 innings. He might have been preferred over Samson, who has amassed 510 runs at an average of 56.67 in 14 ODI innings, as he gives a left-handed batting option in the middle order.