However, there is a need for improvement in white-ball numbers
Former Indian batter Mohammed Kaif was full of praise for keeper-batter Rishabh Pant, saying he is on ‘the same as MS Dhoni’.
Kaif, who played 125 ODIs for India, said that Pant needs work on his batting in the white-ball formats despite being a fixture across all formats.
The 44-year-old praised Pant for his Test match performances particularly in Australia and South Africa under tough bowling conditions and winning matches for India.
“He [Rishabh Pant] is a big match-winner in Tests. Who can forget his knock at the Gabba and the hundred in South Africa? He performs well in overseas conditions. He is a good wicketkeeper. Rishabh Pant is a better wicketkeeper than Sanju Samson; he has almost reached the same level as MS Dhoni,” Kaif said on his channel on YouTube.
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However, Kaif felt that Sanju Samson has clearly better numbers over Pant in white-ball cricket and felt that the Kerala batter should’ve been picked for Champions Trophy 2025.
“Someone needs to tell him (Pant) that his white-ball stats are not that great. Sanju Samson has genuinely earned that chance to go to the Champions Trophy. Rishabh Pant needs to work hard,” Kaif said.
Samson has not played ODIs for India since December 2023 after scoring a match-winning knock of 108 against South Africa in Paarl. He was part of the 2024 T20 World Cup title-winning squad but didn’t get a game.
Pant was named in the 15-player squad for the Champions Trophy announced on Saturday ahead of Samson.
“Sanju Samson has gone ahead. You have to understand this. With Rishabh Pant, people have their emotions attached,” Kaif said.
Pant had missed the 2023 ODI World Cup at home as he was recovering from a near-fatal road accident. He last played an ODI against Sri Lanka in August, 2024, a series which India lost by 0-2. Kaif felt that the lefthander should ignore people giving him the wrong advice.
“Rishabh Pant needs to recognize the reality. If someone tells him ‘wrong things are being done with you’, they are not telling the right things. Rishabh Pant should stay away from such friends,” Kaif said.
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