Former player Harbhajan Singh has lamented Sanju Samson's absence from India's 2025 Champions Trophy squad. The retired cricketer reckons Samson's batting suits the 50-over format and that he needs to be there at least as the second wicketkeeper.
The 30-year-old missed out on the 15-player squad, with the selectors going for Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul as the wicketkeeping options. Samson had peeled off a hundred in his most recent ODI appearance against South Africa in December 2023.
During a recent interview, Harbhajan said he feels bad for Samson, who averages 56.66 in ODIs. The former spinner said (via Hindustan Times):
"Truly, I feel bad for him. He scores runs but he is dropped. I know you can only select 15, but I feel his batting suits the format. He has an average of 55-56, but he isn't even there as a second wicketkeeper. When we talk about selecting him, people ask, in whose place? Places can be made."
Rahul kept wickets for Team India in the 2023 World Cup and did a sensational job with the gloves as well as the bat. In 11 matches, the Karnataka-born cricketer accumulated 452 runs at 75.33, including one century and two fifties.
"You could've included a leg-spinner for variation" - Harbhajan Singh on Yuzvendra Chahal
In the same interaction, the 44-year-old questioned Yuzvendra Chahal's omission, claiming that he still fits the team's requirements, contrary to the selectors' thinking. Harbhajan added:
"Sanju isn't there. Yuzvendra Chahal isn't there, too. You've picked four spinners, two of them are left-armers. You could've included a leg-spinner for variation, too. Chahal is a superb bowler. I don't know what wrong he did that he doesn't fit this team."
Team India are clubbed with Pakistan, New Zealand, and Bangladesh in Group A for the 2025 Champions Trophy. The Men in Blue will open their campaign against Bangladesh on February 20 and are slated to play all their matches in Dubai.
India finished as the runners-up in the 2017 edition, losing to Pakistan in the final under Virat Kohli's captaincy.
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