Former New Zealand pacer and now a respected commentator Simon Doull is “not convinced” about Rishabh Pant’s place in India’s white-ball sides, adding to the heated debate with Sanju Samson constantly being pushed outside the XI whenever Pant is available.
In the ongoing tour of New Zealand, Pant played over Samson in the T20I series. Then, both featured in the same line-up in the first ODI, which India lost. As a result of the poor bowling show in the first ODI, India benched Samson for the second ODI to include Deepak Hooda as the sixth bowling option.
Simon Doull believes that Pant’s numbers in ODIs – an average of 35, a strike rate of 107 after 25 innings – is decent but Samson has been on a roll. In 9 ODI innings in 2022, Samson averages 71 at a strike rate of 105 while playing the role of a lower-middle-order batter.
Sanju Samson has had his best international year so far. Although the chances have again been sporadic – with Dinesh Karthik and Pant preferred in T20Is – the Kerala batter has grabbed his opportunities.
“Rishabh Pant’s record is a decent sample size. He has played just under 30 games and only averages 35, the strike rate is good. But Sanju in 11 games is averaging 60-something. And I don’t think he is any less of a wicketkeeper. I just think he deserves an opportunity as well,” Doull said in a Cricbuzz video.
Will Sanju Samson ever get a long, consistent run in Team India?
The 53-year-old commentator said that Pant is a lock-in the Indian team in Test cricket, however, he expressed apprehensions over the left-hander’s constant selection over Samson in white-ball cricket.
“The Rishabh Pant vs Sanju Samson debate is an interesting one for me. There is so much talk about Rishabh Pant, and how he is the future. But in white-ball formats, he hasn’t quite done it. Unbelievable Test player, and he is a shoo-in in Tests as the wicketkeeper-batter, no issue with that. But is he the best white-ball keeper batter? I am not convinced,” he added.
