This will make the competition even more exciting, as both Pant and Samson, key players for the Indian T20I team, will be vying for the same spot in the national squad.
In the recently concluded IPL 2025 auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Rishabh Pant made history by becoming the most expensive player ever in the IPL. The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) secured him for a massive INR 27 crore.
Most likely, Rishabh Pant will be named the captain of LSG for IPL 2025, as KL Rahul, the former captain, has been bought by the Delhi Capitals.
Also Read: LSG Playing XI, IPL 2025: Best Lucknow Super Giants Playing 11, Players List, and Full Squad
Along with the leadership role, Pant is set to take on a new batting position, most likely opening the innings. Though he has traditionally batted at No.4 or 5 in the IPL, opening the batting could bring out his aggressive style.
Pant has always been strong against pace and can use the powerplay restrictions to his advantage, playing attacking shots with only two fielders allowed on the boundary.
His impressive performances as an opener in white-ball cricket, including during the T20 World Cup 2024 when he batted at No.3, further support this move.
While Pant is set for a new role, another Indian wicketkeeper-batter, Sanju Samson, may also be in line for a change. Traditionally, he batted at No.3 for Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the previous seasons. But Samson could be asked to open the innings alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal in the upcoming season, especially after RR’s recent auction moves, including releasing Jos Buttler.
Samson has been in excellent form as an opener in T20I cricket, smashing three centuries in the last five matches. This recent success makes him a strong contender to open the batting for RR and continue leading from the front in IPL 2025.
This will make the competition even more exciting, as both Pant and Samson will be vying for the same spot in the national squad.
With only one of them likely to secure a spot in the playing XI while the other sits on the bench, both will be focused on delivering their best performances in IPL 2025 to boost their chances of selection.
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